More than 1.6 million Massachusetts sports betting accounts were online during the first year mobile wagering was active in the Bay State. That’s according to a report published Monday by the state’s Gaming Commission.
Those accounts wagered $6.2 billion, with most of that bet through one of the state’s eight mobile operators that were active during the initial year. Six of those eight remain active, and another app launched this month.
The commission publishes monthly revenue reports showing how much was wagered through each Massachusetts sportsbook, such as DraftKings MA Sportsbook and BetMGM. But this week’s report provides further details into the impact sports betting has had on the state, its workforce and those who make the bets.
Sportsbooks Contribute Nine-Figure Sum
At the state level, the commonwealth collected $118.5 million in taxes off the $594.9 million won by sportsbooks. In addition to the taxes, Massachusetts also received about $17 million in licensing fees and $90,000 in fines to operators.
The state also reported that sports betting operators employed 131 Massachusetts residents. Online sportsbooks also reported spending more than $48.3 million for services and products provided by vendors and suppliers certified as diversified businesses. That would include companies owned by minorities, women, veterans (with a category also for service-disabled vets), individuals with disabilities and members of the LGBT community.
According to the report, 38,629 accounts took advantage of time and monetary limits available at online Massachusetts sports betting apps. That’s 2.4% of all accounts tied to residents. There were also 8,728 accounts that employed time-out features on the apps.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission fielded 86,165 inquiries pertaining to limits or responsible gaming practices. There were 327 people who completed self-exclusion forms for sports betting and casino gaming, while 57 signed up to be excluded from just sports betting.
Two Depart, One Enters MA Sports Betting
Like other states, Massachusetts has seen changes in its sports betting market. Even though online wagering only started in March 2023, two operators – Betr and WynnBET – pulled out of the state in February.
However, while two have left the state, another recently joined. Bally Bet MA Sportsbook started taking bets in the commonwealth on July 2. The app, developed in partnership with White Hat Gaming and Kambi Group, is available for download on Google Play and Apple’s App Store.
Massachusetts is Bally Bet’s eighth state. The company also operates in Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, New York, Ohio and Virginia.
Turn to BetMassachusetts.com for more industry coverage plus top MA sportsbook promo codes that you can use when you sign up.
USA Today photo by Eric Canha
