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- A survey conducted by Beacon Research of 1,000 Massachusetts voters showed majority support for legalized iGaming
- 59% of respondents voiced their support for legalized iGaming compared with 24% in opposition
- The survey was conducted on behalf of the Sports Betting Alliance
A recent survey of Massachusetts voters showed nearly 60% of respondents favor legalized iGaming in the commonwealth when compared with the risks of unregulated offshore online casinos.
Beacon Research, conducting a survey on behalf of the Sports Betting Alliance, reported majority support of 1,000 commonwealth voters for legalizing and regulating iGaming in Massachusetts.
In total, 59% of poll respondents supported legalized iGaming in the state compared with just 24% who are in opposition.
Adults Should Be Free to Gamble
According to the poll results, Beacon Research reported that support for legalized iGaming is a bipartisan issue, with 58% of Democrats, 69% of Republicans, and 56% of independents backing the legalized form of gaming.
The support for legalized iGaming is underpinned by the respondents’ distrust of offshore, unregulated gambling options. According to the poll results, 77% of respondents agreed in the survey that that unregulated offshore gaming poses a risk to consumers and that iGaming should be subjected to taxation and oversight, similar to Massachusetts sports betting.
“Most voters (73%) are concerned about the risks unregulated online casinos pose to consumers. Specifically, large majorities are concerned about insecure financial data for consumers (85%), the lack of age verification (83%), and that offshore operators can fail to pay out winnings (84%). As such, over three-quarters of the electorate (76%) believe legalized iGaming under state oversight is a better way to prevent children from gambling and provide safeguards for bettors than the current offshore market,” Beacon Research noted in its findings.
Beacon Research polled 1,000 Massachusetts voters between Jan. 22 and 28, 2026. All respondents were randomly selected from an online panel and screened to be active registered voters in the state.
Several iGaming Bills on the Tables
Massachusetts lawmakers are still considering several iGaming bills this year. Sen. Paul R. Feeney’s (D-Bristol and Norfolk) bill, S235, and Rep. Daniel Cahill’s (D-10th Essex) bill, H332, both seek to license and legalize iGaming for casinos and gaming operators in Massachusetts and have been carried over from 2025.
The identical bills, if legalized, will allow the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to regulate and license iGaming activity in the Bay State. The legislation allows each of the state’s three brick-and-mortar casinos to hold iGaming licenses and partner with up to two operators to run their iGaming platforms.
Additionally, the MGC can award up to four untethered iGaming licenses to operators.
The iGaming licenses will be valid for five years and will carry an annual licensing fee of $1,000,000. The legislation also carries a 20% iGaming tax on gross gaming revenues for operators.
If legalized, the bills will allow the following types of online casino games:
“Authorized games include but are not limited to poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, cards, slots, and any other games or those substantially equivalent typically offered at a casino, and any other game approved by the Commission.”