igaming

🚨 NEW iGAMING EXPANSION ALERT 🚨

Stop the iLottery in Massachusetts!

They told us iLottery was going to be the State Lottery on-line: Scratch tickets, keno, lottery games on your phone/computer.

They lied to us.

Instead, they gave us casino-style, fast paced, slot machine gambling, available 24/7 from your phone, laptop or tablet.

From work, school, your bedroom or your toilet, the state is dealing and taking all comers in the sleaziest expansion of gaming in state history.

 

The State of Massachusetts is dealing themselves in as the biggest pusher of online gambling ever. How much is enough?

See for yourself what these games look like: instant action, zero cooldown, and encouragement to spend more money. Does this look like a slot machine to you?


The Facts on iLottery

 

While iLottery is meant to be formatted as simple games like virtual scratch tickets and keno, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has recently introduced internet-based casino-style games in the name of iLottery. Some are saying this skirts current gambling laws or is downright illegal – dubious and unethical at best.

Under normal circumstances, these games are typically grouped as “iGaming,” the most dangerous and addictive form of gambling available.

Unlike sports betting, which has natural breaks tied to real-world events, iGaming is 24/7, instant, and nonstop—making it far more addictive and predatory.

Why is iGaming more dangerous than sports betting?

  • No pauses or timeouts— it is constant action.

  • Accessible anywhere via smartphone, even by minors.

  • Isolating—gamblers play alone, without social checks.

  • Stronger link to addiction, bankruptcies, and family harm.

House Bill 332 (H.332) and Senate Bill 235 (S.235) would legalize online casino gambling in Massachusetts. They are largely industry-written, prioritizing profits over public safety.

  • Weak safeguards: Out-of-state dealers, poor consumer protections, minimal oversight.

  • Fast-track licenses: $1M buys instant temporary approval for big gambling tech firms.

  • Tax loopholes: Companies can deduct “promotional credits,” slashing state revenue.

  • Few jobs created: Online casinos require little staffing and no local investment.

  • Untethered licenses: Companies wouldn’t even need to be existing MA casino operators.

  • Massachusetts law requires gambling to create jobs—iGaming does the opposite.

  • Estimates show 3,648 jobs at risk, including 862 direct casino jobs and 2,786 supporting roles.

  • Online casinos require no new buildings, no construction, and minimal staff.

  • Unions representing over 500,000 MA workers (AFL-CIO, Teamsters, IBEW, UNITE HERE) strongly oppose iGaming.

Yes. Experts warn iGaming can be “10 times more harmful” than traditional gambling.

  • Problem gambling calls in MA spiked 120% from 2022 to 2023 after sports betting launched.

  • Children as young as 13 are already seeking help for gambling addiction.

  • Online gambling is especially harmful to teens and young adults (high rates of usage among those under 25).

  • Addiction leads to bankruptcy, homelessness, domestic violence, and mental health crises.

  • Read a recent Harvard study about public health impacts at https://hsph.harvard.edu/news/online-gambling-the-stakes-for-public-health/ 

No. The promised revenue is a false promise:

  • Any tax gains are offset by job losses, cannibalized casino taxes, and reduced tourism.

  • Online operators pay lower tax rates than in-person casinos.

  • States like Connecticut lost millions due to loopholes (e.g., free bet deductions).

  • Social costs—bankruptcies, health care, homelessness—eat away at revenue.

No. In 2024, even in states with legalized iGaming, 74% of online gambling revenue still went to illegal sites. Enforcement—not legalization—is the solution.

  • Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Jersey: iGaming cannibalized up to 30% of in-person casino revenue, leading to thousands of job losses.

  • Helpline calls skyrocketed (PA saw a 320% increase since iGaming launch).

  • Bipartisan lawmakers in those states are now trying to rein in or roll back online gambling due to its harms.

  • Teens and young men: High participation rates, early exposure (many start before age 16).

  • Low-income households: Hit hardest by financial losses.

  • Families: Suffer from addiction-related bankruptcies, debt, and domestic issues.

  • iGaming threatens Massachusetts jobs, families, and communities.

  • It provides little to no net revenue once social costs are factored in.

  • It puts a casino in every kid’s pocket.

  • That’s why 21 proposals across the U.S. have been rejected since 2024.

Massachusetts should reject H.332 and S.235.

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