The Massachusetts Gaming Commission has released its January 2026 figures, showing a year-on-year decline in sports betting revenue even as player spending increased. Data covering both online and retail sportsbooks, alongside land-based casinos, outlines mixed results across the state’s gambling sector.
Taxable sports wagering revenue reached $82.4 million in January. That total represents a 12.7% drop compared with $94.4 million in the same month last year. It also trails December’s record $98.5 million by 16.4%.
Online wagering generated the bulk of January’s taxable revenue at $82.1 million. Retail sportsbooks contributed $302,716. Before deductions, gross sports betting revenue stood at $84.4 million.
Higher Handle Fails To Lift Revenue
Despite the decline in revenue, bettors placed more wagers than they did a year earlier. The statewide handle climbed to $808.9 million in January, a 6.1% increase year-on-year. However, that figure fell 4.3% short of December’s total.
Mobile and online platforms processed $797.1 million of the month’s handle, while retail sportsbooks accounted for $11.8 million. Based on taxable revenue, the statewide hold for January came in at 10.19%.
Among operators, DraftKings retained its position as the leading online sportsbook in Massachusetts. The company reported $44.8 million in revenue from $418.3 million in wagers, resulting in a 10.71% hold.
FanDuel followed as the second-largest operator. It posted $23.2 million in revenue after accepting $199.7 million in bets, producing an 11.62% hold. Although its hold percentage exceeded DraftKings’, its revenue total remained significantly lower.
Fanatics ranked third with $5.7 million in revenue from $62.5 million in handle, reflecting a 9.12% hold. BetMGM generated $4.5 million off $57.1 million in wagers, equating to a 7.88% hold. theScore Bet completed the top five, reporting $1.8 million in revenue from $22.7 million in bets for a 7.93% hold.
In the retail segment, Encore Boston Harbor led the state’s three casinos with $209,263 in taxable sports betting revenue from $5.9 million in handle. That performance translated into a 3.57% hold for the month.
Casino Gaming Revenue Totals $96.6M
The commission also detailed results from the land-based casino sector. Combined gross gaming revenue at Plainridge Park Casino, MGM Springfield and Encore Boston Harbor reached approximately $96.6 million in January. That figure declined 1.3% compared with both the previous year and the prior month.
Slot machines produced $69.8 million in revenue, while table games added $26.8 million. Encore Boston Harbor recorded the highest individual total among the three properties with $59.7 million in monthly revenue.
Tax collections from gambling activities in January amounted to $44 million. Sports wagering contributed $16.5 million of that sum, while land-based casinos generated $27.6 million in tax revenue.
The commission noted that since the opening of each gaming facility, the Commonwealth has collected approximately $2.329 billion in total revenue.
Source:
“The Massachusetts Gaming Commission Releases January 2026 Casino and Sports Wagering Revenue”, massgaming.com, February 20, 2026
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