Massachusetts Casinos Online
The bay state’s relationship with land based casino gambling is a pretty recent one. It wasn’t until 2011 that slot machines became available for its residents and 2018 that the first real casino opened up in Massachusetts. Since liberals winds started to blow things have, however, been moving quickly. While another casino opened up in 2019 and a third one has been planned for construction, the possible legalization of internet gambling is also being looked into.
Betting on sports, playing poker and spinning on slot machines online is nothing new though. The internet is home to plenty of Massachusetts friendly online casinos that are operating in jurisdictions outside of America – some for almost a decade. As there are no legal penalties for internet gambling and the benefits compared to land based casinos are numerous, many bay state residents have already been gambling online for quite a while.
If you would like to join this troop of thrill seekers you will find some of the best Massachusetts casinos online listed below. On the following page we have also taken a closer at the many advantages that internet gambling comes with and what the experience is like.
Best online casinos in Massachusetts listed and reviewed
The following list of gambling sites have been carefully picked by us after thoroughly examining and rating all online casinos that allow residents from Massachusetts. Based on several important factors such as safety, bonus offers, customer support and game selection, these sites are the crème de la crème when it comes to internet gambling in the bay state.
[sc name=”casinos-us-short”][/sc]What can I expect from the above listed gambling sites?
Even though they are all considered to be the best Massachusetts casinos that can be played at online the experience may of course vary from one gambling site to another. They have a lot of similarities but are not identical to each other. However, to give you an overall good idea of what you can expect from the casinos you will find the following:
Game selection
Hundreds of varying slot machines are offered – some simple ones, some modern ones packed with captivating features and some with progressive jackpots that can pay out millions of dollars. You’ll also find plenty of table games such as blackjack, craps, roulette and baccarat – some which can be played against real dealers through a live casino stream. Several types of video pokers are also available, as well as a bunch of special games that aren’t as easily categorized.
In addition to this many of the gambling sites allow you to bet money on sports, horses and dogs, and play Texas Hold’em against other players.
Bonus offers
Not only will you get a very valuable welcome bonus that will match your first deposit with extra cash, but several promotional offers are regularly running at the casinos. This can be anything from free spin bonuses to cashbacks, competitions and lottery draws. Should you be a frequent visitor to the casinos you can also expect to receive exclusive bonuses as a loyalty reward.
Payment methods
Funding your casino account can be done using debit cards such as Visa, Mastercard and Amex, as well as making a bank transfer and depositing with bitcoins. The same methods are usually offered for cash outs with the exception of debit cards that aren’t as commonly available. You can also withdraw your winnings by having a check physically sent to you.
Customer support
No matter which of the listed Massachusetts friendly online casinos that you decide to play with knowledgeable support agents can be easily reached around the clock. A first class customer service is offered on live chat, e-mail as well as phone. The agents are always happy to help you out no matter what it may be that you need assistance with.
Withdrawal times
Once a cash out has been requested you can expect this to be handled by the casinos within 48 hours. After that the time that it takes to receive your money depends on the withdrawal method that you have chosen. With bitcoins the transaction is more or less instant while debit cards (if available) have a transaction time of 2 – 5 bank days and checks can take up to 10 days to receive.
Player protection
When choosing the best Massachusetts casinos to list we take many things into consideration, but safety always comes first. All of the sites recommended by us are not only legitimately licensed and regulated by a governmental body in jurisdictions such as Curacao and Kahnawake. They are also popular choices that millions of players can vouch for. The casinos are well encrypted and hacker-proof, which guarantees that your money is safe.
How do I gamble at online casinos in Massachusetts?
The entire experience is pretty straight forward. The process of getting started with your gambling to cashing out your winnings looks like the following:
- Visit one of the best Massachusetts casinos listed by us on top of the page.
- Create an account by providing your name, date of birth and home address.
- Activate your account using a code sent to your e-mail (not always needed).
- Make a deposit and if you would like to activate the casino’s welcome offer.
- Check the casino’s promotional page for more bonuses that you may want.
- Navigate the gambling site to find a suiting game among hundreds to play.
- Say your prayers to lady luck, win and request a cash out of your winnings.
- Verify yourself by sending the casino a photo copy of a valid ID.
That’s it! The only step you probably have questions about is the verification at the end. This exists to prevent underage gambling and fraudulent activities. It’s also a process that the casinos are required to follow to comply with their regulations. You only have to do this verification on you first withdrawal and then the rest of your cash outs are smooth sailing.
Should it be that something is unclear to you – whether it is a game you’re playing, a bonus offer or anything else, just have a chat with the customer support and they’ll help you out.
Is it legal to play casino online in Massachusetts?
As much as it has been up for discussion online gambling is yet not legalized in Massachusetts. This doesn’t mean that you risk facing any legal penalties for indulging in it though. Going through the state law we have found no indications of internet gambling being illegal, which makes it a grey area. This is further supported by no records of anyone ever being prosecuted for placing sports wagers and playing casino online in Massachusetts. Our opinion is that you have nothing to worry about.
A brief look at the history of gambling in Massachusetts
1700s: Several private lotteries were running. At first they were accepted, but public opinion eventually turned.
1719: All lotteries are made illegal.
1745: As a way to fund King George’s War a public lottery is introduced.
1760: The public lottery is banned after being disapproved by the Lords of Trade.
1788: Once a British colony is now recognized as the American state of Massachusetts. With this formation came a ban on card-, dice- and table games.
1833: After the revolutionary war had ended lotteries had once again become popular in the province. This year did, however, smash them with the ban hammer. Now all gambling was illegal in Massachusetts.
1932: It becomes legal for non-profit organizations to set up charitable events where bridge and whist can be played.
1934: Betting on dog and horse racing is legalized. The game beano is also added to the list of games that can be played at charitable events.
1942: Criminals were using charities as front operations which led to beano being banned this year.
1971: By this time beano is once again allowed to be offered at charity events along with raffles that were legalized this year.
1972: After being approved of the previous year the Massachusetts state lottery has its first drawing.
1999: This year saw the opening of Plainridge Park which is the one and only racino (racetrack with casino games) operating in Massachusetts today. At this time it was, however, just a racetrack.
2008: Dog racing is made illegal.
2011: Signed by Governor Patrick Deval, the Expanded Gaming Act allows for three casinos and one slot parlor to operate within the state. This is the year that Plainridge Park becomes a racino as it obtains the slot parlor license and starts offering slot machines.
2017: Allowingonline casinos in Massachusetts is up for discussion as a committee is created to look into the benefits of legalizing gambling over the internet.
2018: The MGM casino opens up.
2019: The Wynn Boston Harbor Casino Resort opens up.
Benefits of gambling online
While land based casino gambling is easily available for most people in the bay state there are many advantages of choosing to play online. These include the following:
- You can do it at anytime from anywhere. It’s incredibly convenient.
- It’s a lot easier to win from slot machines as payback percentages are higher (around 95 – 97% compared to around 85% – 90%).
- You have many more gambling establishments to choose from.
- The minimum age at most Massachusetts friendly online casinos is only 18. The land based casinos in the state have a minimum age requirement of 21.
- Playing online is currently the only way to wager money on sports.
- You can deposit and withdraw using crypto currencies like bitcoins.
- Bonuses are more frequently offered and are generally more valuable.
Gambling venues in Massachusetts
If you’re not interested in playing online or would like to switch up your internet sessions with some authentic gambling you have five great options to choose from in Massachusetts; two racetracks, one racino and two full-fledged casinos.
Suffolk Downs
Address: 525 William F McClellan Hwy, Boston, MA 02128
Type: Racetrack
Plainridge Park Casino
Address: 301 Washington St, Plainville, MA 02762
Type: RacinoRaynham Park
Address: 1958 Broadway, Raynham, MA 02767
Type: Racetrack
MGM Springfield
Address: One MGM Way, Springfield, MA 01103
Type: Casino
Wynn Boston Harbor Casino Resort
Address: 1 Broadway, Everett, MA 02149
Type: Casino
FAQ about gambling and casinos in Massachusetts
How trustworthy are off-shore casinos?
This can vary a lot from one gambling site to another. It’s no secret that fishy casinos do exist online which may or may not pull a trick on you. However, the vast majority of gambling sites are in fact serious businesses that are perfectly safe to play at. This includes all of the best Massachusetts casinos that we have listed on top of the page.
All of the casinos recommended by us have operated for quite some time and have a very good reputation among players. They are also legitimately licensed, which means that they are being overseen by a governmental body. Casinos that pull tricks on their players are usually operating illegally with no license at all.
Am I violating the law playing casino online in Massachusetts?
We are no lawyers, but from the thorough research that we have done we would say you are not. While online casinos aren’t allowed to operate within the bay state there seems to be no law against individuals taking part of internet gambling. As no records exist of anyone being penalized for playing casino online we would say that it’s perfectly safe doing so.
What will change if online casinos are legalized in Massachusetts?
The biggest difference will be the economic benefits that the state will reap from it. Playing at off-shore casinos is quite a loss for the state as these are not taxed in Massachusetts and when you play online you may do this instead of going to a land based venue in the state.
For you as a player there isn’t that much that will change. Transactions to and from the casino may be smoother as more deposit and withdrawal methods may become available. As the gambling sites will be licensed and regulated within Massachusetts you will also be a bit better protected.
Are all gambling sites accepting bay state residents?
Far from! The internet is home to thousands of online casinos and it’s actually only a fraction of these that allow players from the US. The ones that we have recommended on top of the page should be more than enough though.
Casino Sites by States
[mapsvg id=”10563″]
More US online casinos