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Massachusetts online casino bill sent to study, effectively shelved for now
Proposal to legalize digital slot machines and blackjack is unlikely to advance this year.
An internet gaming bill that aimed to legalize online casino gambling in Massachusetts, including digital slot machines and blackjack, was effectively killed for this year’s legislative session — although it could be refiled again in the future.
On Monday, members of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies voted 11-0 to send bill H. 4431 to “study.” A study order technically means the bill will be studied during the recess, but most often is used as a way to quietly kill a bill, according to the Massachusetts Bar Association.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. David Muradian, would have created a new law, Chapter 23O, to legalize and regulate internet gaming (also called iGaming) by allowing the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to give licenses to existing casino operators to offer online casino-style games.
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Rep. Muradian did not respond to Boston.com’s request for comment in time for publication.
Under the bill, all three of the state’s casinos — Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville, MGM Springfield, and Encore Boston Harbor in Everett — would each be allowed to launch three branded internet gaming platforms called “skins.” If enacted, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission would be responsible for regulating iGaming. It currently regulates casino gaming, horse racing, and sports wagering in the state.
“Residents should look for the Commission’s seal of approval when visiting a gaming platform to ensure it is licensed to operate in the Commonwealth, MGC spokesperson Thomas Mills said in an email statement to Boston.com. He declined to comment on the specific legislation.
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Supporters of the bill, like Muradian, said it “brings internet gaming out of the shadows into a safe, transparent, and accountable system,” the State House News Service reported.
But opponents argued it would compete with the state’s brick-and-mortar casinos and could exacerbate gambling addiction, the State House News Service said.
The bill would require players to be 21 years or older to participate, be physically located in Massachusetts, and be limited to one account per skin, with a $20,000 cap on deposits in a 24-hour period. Operators would be required to pay a 15% state tax on their gross revenue from internet gaming.
The legislation also would have created a Player Health Program to raise awareness about gambling addiction, an Internet Gaming Fund from received revenue, and prohibit unlicensed sweepstakes.
Muradian told the State House News Service that he plans to refile the bill for the 2027-2028 session.
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