Massachusetts Lottery Goes Digital: Online Platform Set to Launch Summer 2026
The Massachusetts State Lottery is taking a big leap into the digital age. On Tuesday, the State Lottery Commission unanimously approved a five-year contract for a full-service online lottery platform with Aristocrat Interactive, also known as NeoGames US. This move marks a major shift for the state, introducing a revenue-sharing model that’s new to Massachusetts.
“This is a huge milestone,” said Commissioner Meghan Liddy, who’s been on the commission since 2015. “The process has been long and, at times, very challenging, so congratulations to the team for making this happen.”
The decision follows a recommendation from the Lottery’s procurement team, which reviewed five proposals before settling on Aristocrat Interactive. The contract authorizes Executive Director Mark William Bracken to finalize the deal, bringing Massachusetts into the online and mobile lottery market. Bracken noted, “We now have a strict timeline to get up and running. Our goal is early summer of 2026. We want to meet players where they are and attract new participants who may not engage with traditional retail outlets.”
The launch has been a long time coming. Massachusetts has seen a surge in legal casino gambling, fantasy sports, and online sports betting over the last decade, all of which compete with traditional lottery sales. Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, overseeing the Lottery since 2015, emphasized that expanding online is essential for the state to continue generating over $1 billion annually in local aid.
The fiscal year 2025 budget included authorization for online lottery sales, signed into law last summer by Governor Maura Healey. While officials initially aimed for a late-2025 launch, the start date was later pushed to April 2026, with no revenue expected from online sales in fiscal 2026.
Goldberg shared her projections for the iLottery: more than $70 million in net profits in year one, surpassing $180 million by year three, topping $230 million in year five, and reaching nearly $360 million by year ten. The revenue-sharing arrangement means the more the Lottery earns from online sales, the more Aristocrat Interactive gets paid. Bracken explained, “This is a new business model for us. Our retail operations will continue under the appropriation system, but online will operate as a revenue-share partnership with a third-party firm.”
Even as the Lottery gears up for digital sales, traditional revenue streams remain strong. July 2025 saw $439.7 million in sales—a slight 0.8% increase from July 2024. Scratch tickets jumped by $6.9 million (2.4%), and Powerball sales surged 25.9%, offsetting declines in other product categories. Bracken noted the Lottery’s estimated profit for July 2025 was $69 million, slightly lower than the prior year’s $71 million, but after adjusting for one fewer sales day, the month effectively saw a $700,000 increase in net profit.
Prize payouts in July accounted for roughly 75.94% of revenue, slightly lower than last year’s 76.56%, yet still higher than the three previous years. Overall, the Massachusetts Lottery produced an estimated net profit of $1.065 billion for fiscal year 2025, exceeding projections but falling short of the $1.159 billion in fiscal 2024. Total revenue ended the fiscal year at $5.962 billion, down from the record $6.168 billion in 2024.
With the digital rollout on the horizon, Massachusetts lottery officials are optimistic about meeting players where they are, expanding participation, and keeping the state Lottery competitive in a rapidly evolving gaming landscape. The countdown to summer 2026 is on, and the Lottery is ready to take its first big step online.
Exciting Points to Note:
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Massachusetts’ first-ever revenue-sharing model for a lottery.
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Early summer 2026 target for online launch.
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Projected $70M+ net profit in the first year of online sales.
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Traditional retail sales remain strong with scratch tickets and Powerball leading growth.
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