Massachusetts sportsbooks generated more than $47 million in taxable revenue in August, while the state’s three casinos combined for nearly $102 million. The latest figures show another strong month for the state’s gambling industry. Massachusetts has now collected more than $500 million in sports betting taxes and fees since legal wagering launched in 2023.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission’s August revenue report showed approximately $47.09 million in taxable sports wagering revenue across seven online sportsbooks and three retail operators.
Online sports betting accounts for most of the market’s activity. Mobile operators pay a 20% tax on taxable sports wagering revenue, while retail sportsbooks pay 15%.
Of the revenue collected through sports wagering taxes, 45% goes to the General Fund, 27.5% supports local aid, and 9% goes to the Public Health Trust Fund. The remaining funds support workforce investment and youth development programs.
Massachusetts has now collected approximately $500.35 million in sports wagering taxes and assessments since retail betting launched in January 2023 and online sportsbooks followed in March of that year.
DraftKings accounted for the largest share of Massachusetts’ online betting activity in August, accepting approximately $275.1 million in wagers and generating $22.8 million in taxable revenue.
FanDuel followed with $144.4 million in settled wagers and $12.8 million in taxable revenue. Together, the two operators generated more than $35 million in taxable revenue for the month.
Fanatics ranked third in betting volume with $62.2 million in settled wagers, followed by BetMGM at $48.8 million.
The state’s three casinos also had a productive August, generating approximately $101.92 million in gross gaming revenue, up from $95.7 million in July.
Encore Boston Harbor led the way with $62.8 million in combined slot and table game revenue. MGM Springfield followed with $23.8 million, while Plainridge Park Casino generated $15.1 million.
Since the three properties opened, Massachusetts has collected approximately $2.53 billion in casino taxes and assessments.
While Massachusetts continues to collect substantial tax revenue from legal sports betting, the MGC also plays an active role in monitoring operators and enforcing state wagering rules.
One recent example involved sports media personality Bill Simmons, whose comments about having another person place wagers through his FanDuel account prompted a regulatory review.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission’s investigation into Simmons came after he admitted that he had asked his daughter’s boyfriend, who was in Massachusetts, to place bets on his behalf while Simmons was in California.
Proxy betting is prohibited under Massachusetts law. Licensed operators are required to take measures to prevent individuals from placing wagers on behalf of others. That’s why FanDuel reported the matter to the MGC and took action involving Simmons’ account.
The Simmons case highlights how the MGC has taken a proactive role to maintain compliance standards. It underscores how the Massachusetts market is functioning at a high level, not only with revenue, but also with regulation.
