When Massachusetts iLottery launches in ’25, instant games will be in the mix

When Massachusetts launches its online lottery platform around December 2025, it will offer both draw games — like Powerball, Mega Millions, and Mass Cash — and digital e-instant games, which resemble online slot machines in gameplay.

That was confirmed to Lottery Geeks by Christian Teja, communications director of the Massachusetts Lottery, on Tuesday.

“Offerings will include draw games as well as a wide variety of instant game options,” Teja said.

Massachusetts officially cleared the way for an online lottery in late July. That’s when Governor Maura Healey approved the state’s 2025 budget — which had language authorizing an iLottery.

Analyzing Massachusetts iLottery budget language
There was never a doubt that online draw games would be a part of Massachusetts’ library.

However, industry watchdog Steve Ruddock highlighted in a recent Straight to the Point newsletter that the budget’s language related to Massachusetts iLottery is ambiguous. It never explicitly states what types of games would be allowed.

Instead, it consistently refers to the online lottery offerings with these three terms:

“Lottery tickets, games or shares online.”

Ruddock suggested perhaps some lawmakers would be surprised to learn they approved games other than draw games like Powerball. It’s possible he says, weren’t aware they were approving online lottery games similar to the slot machines you’d find at online casinos, which aren’t currently legal in Massachusetts.

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Founded in 2023, Lottery Geeks is a website dedicated to all things lottery in the U.S., with original reporting on industry developments, rules and regulations, lottery results and more.