Massachusetts Brings in Massive Handle and Tax Revenue for September Sports Betting
September can now be seen as a landmark month for Massachusetts’ sports betting scene as it was really at another level with the commonwealth setting state records in both total handle and tax revenue, which says a lot about the promising sports betting scene that is present in the state at this point in time.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) has confirmed that it has amassed a total of $678.74 million for its sports betting handle and a whopping $14.63 million in tax revenues for September. Both are seen as monthly highs since the state launched its sports betting scene in 2023. As of the time of writing, Massachusetts has now tallied a total of $187.88 million in taxes and fees since then.
So far, this just spells a promising note for the state as it is now being seen as one of the biggest sports betting communities in the United States. While it may not be at the same level as Las Vegas or any other major sports betting state, it is worth noting that these all-time highs set by Massachusetts are a huge progress in sports betting’s growth in the country overall.
A Record-Setting Month to Remember.
The total of $678,747,446 in sports betting handle is a massive promise that many critics see as a huge boost to the overall industry. Around $667.65 million of that said amount came from online sports betting as well. On the other hand, the taxable gaming revenue for the month totals $75,354,989, which marks an 11% hold and a total of $14,632,218 in tax revenue.
These numbers are quite impressive compared to the last five months, which was deemed to be a shaky presence for Massachusetts’ sports betting scene. These are the highest numbers since retail sports betting was launched in January 2023 and online sports betting in March 2023. Retail sports betting accounted for $11,094,741 in handle for the month.
If you are not impressed, the comparison puts September 2023 totals to just $500,020,161 in total sports betting handle and $9,723,283 in tax revenue. This just shows how the online scene has become quite a massive addition to the state’s overall handle and tax revenue.
Online Sports Betting’s Impact in Massachusetts
Massachusetts’ sports betting handle was significantly boosted by the presence of online sports betting platforms. For starters, DraftKings led the way in its home state with $355.19 million in online sports betting and tallying more than $7.75 million in taxes. This was followed by FanDuel, who also had $182.4 million in online sports betting handle and $4.4 million in tax revenue.
Other significant sportsbooks that have managed to tally impressive numbers are the likes of BetMGM ($45,587,058 in online sports betting handle), ESPN BET ($22,372,529 in online sports betting handle), and Fanatics Betting and Gaming ($37,908,603 in online sports betting handle).
So far, this month has been generated by the return of various sporting events in the country, meaning that Boston-based teams are now playing again. With the NFL (New England Patriots), NBA (Boston Celtics), and the NHL (Boston Bruins) leading the charge on that end, it is expected that the closing months of 2024 will yield the Massachusetts Gaming Commission bigger tallies in the long run.