Generally speaking, the legal gambling age in MA is 21; however, there are some exceptions. For instance, the minimum age for legal lotteries is 18, while some forms of gambling remain prohibited for everyone.
For the most popular legalized forms of online gambling, DFS and mobile sportsbooks, the minimum age requirement is 21. The same goes for land-based casino games, but online casinos are not yet legal in the Bay State.
Lotteries were first legalized in MA back in 1971, and are still available to Bay Staters aged 18 and older to this day. However, the real changes to the land-based gambling industry came in 2011, when a bill was passed to allow three tribal casino resorts to open. The first one of these opened its doors in 2015, with a minimum age limit of 21. Today, 18 and 21 are the two ages that you need to keep in mind, depending on which form of gambling you want to engage in.
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Historically, the closest thing that Massachusetts had to sports betting was at-the-track wagering for horse and greyhound racing, which started back in the 1920s. However, it would then be over 100 years before fully-fledged in-person sports wagering was launched in January 2023. Now, both professional and (some) college sports wagering have been legalized thanks to the bill that was passed ahead of this launch. The sports betting age in Massachusetts is 21.
Online gambling in MA
The arrival of in-person sports wagering in January 2023 was quickly followed by the launch of Massachusetts legal sportsbooks in March of the same year. This means that you can now bet on sports on mobile in the Bay State. As is the case with most forms of in-person gambling, the Massachusetts online gambling age for sports is 21 and over.
Sports betting and DFS
Prior to sports betting being legalized in 2023, DFS was the main source of entertainment for sports fans, having launched in 2015. To this day, there are still some operators that offer both services to persons aged 21 and older, including DraftKings MA and FanDuel.
Mass gambling age for online casinos
Although you can play land-based casino games so long as you are above the Massachusetts gambling age of 21, online casinos are not yet legal at all. The closest thing that you have are sweepstakes casinos, which offer casino-style games that you can play using virtual currency. The minimum legal age for sweepstakes casinos in MA is 18. However, you will find that many operators have a minimum age requirement of 21+ in their own T&Cs.
Online poker
As is the case with online casinos, mobile poker isn’t legal in Massachusetts, with no future date in sight. The one alternative that poker fans have is Global Poker, which works on a sweepstakes prize model that is similar to how a social casino works. Players aged 18 and older can access this site in MA.
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Massachusetts gambling age - What does the future hold?
In terms of the forms of gambling that are already legal, the minimum age of 18 for lotteries and 21 for everything else looks set to remain as they are. Currently, there is no plan in place to suggest that legalized online casino and poker are in the pipeline. However, if and when these forms of online gambling do go live, all signs suggest that the minimum age will be 21+.
The best online gambling sites in MA
Now that we’ve dealt with the legal gambling age in Massachusetts, we can now get down to the fun part and take a look at some of the best gambling sites available. As well as DraftKings, FanDuel MA is an excellent site that offers both mobile sports wagering and DFS contests with real money prize pools. If you register an account today, you can claim a welcome offer that sees you get $200 in bonus bets when you register a new account and bet just $5.
If you are looking for a pure online sportsbook, then you might want to take a look at WynnBet MA. With this operator, you can get $100 in bet credits when you deposit and bet $100. Other betting sites that are live in MA are Caesars Sportsbook, BetMGM and Barstool.
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In summary, the main age that should pop into your head when you think of gambling in MA is 21. The only real exceptions are lotteries and sweepstakes casinos, both of which have a minimum age requirement of 18. However, neither of these mediums technically falls into the category of gambling – even if they might be closely related. What you can now do is make use of the sportsbook reviews here to find your ideal app and start wagering on your favorite sports.
🏈 What is the legal sports betting age in Massachusetts?
Information about the legal sports betting age in MA can be found in the attached article. We have covered both online and in-person sports wagering for professional and collegiate sports. Moreover, we also regularly update this information to reflect legislative changes.
🔞 Can you gamble at 18 in MA?
See what forms of gambling in MA are legal for persons aged 18+, if any. In this article, we have covered everything from mobile sports wagering, to casino resorts, lotteries and more. Additionally, we have taken a look at alternatives, such as sweepstake casinos.
🎰 How old do you need to be to gamble at a casino in Boston, MA?
All of the legal rules for casino gambling in Massachusetts have been laid out for you in detail here at CaptainGambling.com. You can also bookmark this page for updates to the law as and when they happen.
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