Massachusetts earns a D in new online gambling rankings

"For more than a decade, researchers have known that gambling is an addictive substance, "just like heroin, opioids, tobacco, alcohol, and cocaine," said Harry Levant, director of gambling policy with the Public Health Advocacy Institute at Northeastern University. Levant said the rankings advise elected leaders that there is a serious public health crisis."

"The low grade stems from the lack of mandatory loss limits, the allowance of in-game live betting, and the lack of a requirement for operators to stop offering bets to users exhibiting high-risk patterns. The state also does not require spousal consent for joint accounts, does not allow players to set limits, and allows for advertising."

""Massachusetts got out over its skis; it adopted all without appropriate regulation," he said. "And now it's time to do something about that." Legal sports betting is available in 38 states, with the U.S. industry reporting $13.68 billion in revenue on nearly $150 billion in total wagers in 2024."

A report card from the Center for Addiction Science, Policy, and Research evaluated online gambling protections across New England, giving Massachusetts a D grade and the entire region failing marks. Researchers have established that gambling is addictive like heroin, opioids, tobacco, alcohol, and cocaine. Massachusetts legalized sports betting in March 2023 and collected approximately $339.15 million in taxes by September 2025. While the state implemented some protections including credit card bans and problem gambling hotlines, it lacks mandatory loss limits, restricts in-game live betting regulations, and fails to require operators to identify and stop high-risk users. Additional gaps include absent spousal consent requirements for joint accounts and permissive advertising policies.

Read at Boston.com