PROVIDENCE – Massachusetts sports bettors and those visiting the Bay State now have a new option after state gaming regulators gave Bally’s Corp. the greenlight to launch its 'Bally Bet' online platform.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission voted unanimously on July 1 to grant Bally’s a certificate of operations. The app launched the following day.
Bally’s had held a category 3 “untethered” license to operate ‘Bally Bet’ – already live in seven other states - in Massachusetts since January 2023, which are reserved for sports wagering through a mobile application and other digital platforms.
In 2024, Bally’s paid another $1 million to renew its Massachusetts license, telling the commission they were not immediately prepared to move forward.
Scheduled to go live late June, the launch was delayed for a week. Mass. Gaming Commission Interim Chairman Jordan Maynard during the June 27 meeting said the platform still had “one outstanding issue” that needed to be addressed. A commission spokesperson did not immediately respond for comment.
Massachusetts sports bettors wagered $587.26 million in May, according to the most recent MGC report, generating roughly $57 million in taxable gaming revenue and nearly $11.5 million in state tax revenue.
Since the 2023 legalization of sports betting in Massachusetts, the industry has generated more than $149 million in state taxes and assessments.
The most recently available report through May 20 from R.I. Lottery shows the sportsbook has collected $426 million in wagers this fiscal year, with about $340 million booked online. Total sportsbook revenues in fiscal 2023 totaled $509.5 million, according to the lottery's annual report.
Like its Rhode Island sportsbook launched in 2018 and operated in partnership with IGT, 'Bally Bet' markets include include domestic and international professional and collegiate sports, player props, parlays, and live betting.
After the MGC vote, Bally’s CEO Brett Calapp said the company was “super excited to go live in Massachusetts, a state with such a rich sports history.”
Christopher Allen is a PBN staff writer. You may contact him at Allen@PBN.com