The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) has published its monthly sports betting figures for March 2026. The Bay State saw a 9.5% decrease in handle, down to $699m during the busy month. But, crucially, the state's regulated sportsbooks still managed to turn this into a 24% increase in revenue during the period.
Overall, licensees generated more than $13m in online sports betting tax revenue during the month of March 2026.
Handle down, revenue on the rise
Massachusetts passed legislation to allow sports betting in 2022. The first in-person bets were accepted in January 2023, with mobile and online betting opening up in March 2023.
The State's retail sportsbooks, which only account for a little over 1% of the State's total sports betting action, pay 15% of Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) in tax, while online operators are taxed at 20%.
March 2026 saw $699m in handle across the State – compared to $772.4m in March 2025.
Despite March being a historically busy month for sports betting companies, it was only the second month since August 2025 with a handle of less than $700m.
Meanwhile, despite the low handle, surprise results in the annual college basketball tournament saw sportsbooks generate more profit.
Profit was up 24% compared to last year, with licensees generating $67.1m. This makes it the most profitable March since online wagering launched in MA back in 2023.
Currently, the State has seven licensed online operators, with DraftKings easily topping the list for the highest handle and revenue. In March, the operator generated $344.5m in handle and $33.4m in revenue. However, its 9.7% hold was down from February's 13.75% figure.
FanDuel was a distant second, with $172.9m and $19m, respectively. It was the only one of the State's licensees to achieve a double-digit hold, with BetMGM falling just short, after generating $5.2m revenue from a $52.3m handle.
March Madness impact
Basketball was invented in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1891. But, despite having nine schools with Division 1 basketball programs, The Bay State has not had a team qualify for the men's NCAA March Madness tournament since 2020.
Despite the lack of local interest, March Madness is still one of the busiest months for sports betting in the State, so there will be concerns over the drop in handle.
However, that hasn't deterred operators.
The MGC recently reopened its licensing application process, thanks to a request from bet365. The British-based gambling giant was previously linked with a launch in the State in 2023, but it stepped back from the application process.
Currently four untethered Category 3 sports betting licenses are still available, according to the Massachusetts Gaming Board, enabling successful applicants to open an online platform without having to partner with existing retail platforms.
It's currently unclear whether bet365 are the only company looking to enter the market, but an MGC memo said: "If the Commission receives more applications for the Category 3 mobile only licenses than are available, the Commission will need to create a competitive evaluation process."
Meanwhile, Massachusetts has been formally reminded of its position in the battle with prediction markets. The CFTC has issued an amicus brief reiterating the position that prediction markets fall under the federal body's remit, and not the State.
