Massachusetts Legalizes Online Lottery Sales
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey approved the fiscal year 2025 state budget on Monday. The budget includes measures to legalize online lottery sales, with the revenue generated going towards a grant program to support early childhood education and care, as stated by the Massachusetts Lottery.
Statements from Key Officials
State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, who also serves as Chair of the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission, expressed gratitude to Governor Healey for her support. “We thank Governor Healey for her support of the online lottery and for approving it in the final FY25 budget. This will allow the Lottery to keep pace with its competition and reach newer audiences,” Goldberg said. She emphasized the importance of the online lottery in generating resources for critical childcare services across the state.
Goldberg also acknowledged the legislative support, saying, “Thank you to Speaker Ron Mariano, President Karen Spilka, and the Joint Ways and Means Committee for prioritizing this important policy change. And thank you to the legislators who have championed this issue. We are excited to get to work!”
Mark William Bracken, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Lottery, highlighted the readiness of the team to implement the new online lottery system. “Our team is excited to implement an online lottery. We are ready and prepared to offer our players a modern lottery experience in a safe and accessible environment,” Bracken said. He also reassured retail partners of the lottery’s continued support, acknowledging their role in the success of the Massachusetts Lottery.
Implementation and Features
The Massachusetts Lottery will issue a Request for Response to procure services for the operation of the online lottery platform. Officials expect the online lottery to be operational in approximately 16 months.
The legislation stipulates that customers must be at least 21 years old to participate in online lottery games, while the age requirement for retail lottery sales remains at 18.
In addition to purchasing draw game tickets online, Massachusetts players will have access to einstant games, which are similar to online slot machines.
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