Massachusetts Casinos Generate $99.5 Million in July While Sweepstakes Bill Debated

Massachusetts's commercial casino sector recorded revenue of $99.5 million in July, a slight increase of 0.02% year-on-year from the $99.47 generated in July the year prior. 

The latest report from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission shows that slot revenue accounted for 72.6% of the state's total income, with $72.2 million generated, and table games revenue totaled just under $27.3 million. 

Mixed Fortunes for Boston Casinos

Although the overall revenue picture was largely unchanged across the three venues, the trio of operators had mixed fortunes. 

Plainridge Park led the way in percentage increase, showing a 6.2% revenue rise on the July 2024 figure, while MGM Springfield recorded a more modest rise of 1.8%. By contrast, the state’s biggest revenue generator, Encore Boston Harbor, recorded a 2.1% decline in revenue year-on-year to $60.2 million. 

The majority of revenue generated came from slot gaming. Encore Boston Harbor reported $37.6 million in slots revenue for the month, compared to $22.6 million for table games. MGM Springfield produced $24 million from slots, a little under 81% of its total monthly revenue, while Plainridge Park only saw income from slots as the venue does not have table game facilities. 

Massachusetts Lawmakers Debate Sweepstakes Ban as Industry Pushes Back

While commercial casinos are seeing revenue increases, the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA) is currently speaking out for online sweepstakes casinos, which face being banned in the state with a newly proposed bill. 

The proposal, Bill 4431, is currently under review by the state’s Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. It would ban online games that use a ‘dual currency’ model that allows the purchase of tokens redeemable for cash prizes, which is the basis of sweepstakes casinos, which operate in a legal gray area across the U.S.

Critics of the bill argue that its broad language could unintentionally impact a wider range of online games. The legislation defines an online sweepstakes game as any internet-based contest that awards prizes based on chance and simulates casino-style play, including slots, poker, and sports wagering. According to the SGLA, which represents sweepstakes casino operators, the measure could expose peripheral businesses to criminal liability.

The Executive Director of the SGLA and a former Congressman, Jeff Duncan, condemned the proposed bill this week and said,  “Massachusetts has long been a hub of innovation, technology, and economic leadership, but this proposal sends the wrong message. Voters do not want bans. They want smart rules that protect consumers, preserve choice, and strengthen the economy.”

He added that regulating and taxing sweepstakes platforms could contribute new revenue to the state rather than driving the industry underground.

Massachusetts joins California in considering restrictions on social and sweepstakes casinos, reflecting growing sector scrutiny. Recent reports estimate that illegal and offshore operators capture as much as a third of U.S. wagering activity, raising concerns about consumer protection and lost state revenue.