Massachusetts State Lottery launches Mass Lottery Online featuring current and new games

DORCHESTER, MA – Today, the Massachusetts State Lottery announced through a release that they have launched Mass Lottery Online, featuring a variety of both new and familiar games that registered players age 21 or older can play on the Mass Lottery app and website on a mobile device, computer, or tablet. Profits generated from online sales will be returned to the Commonwealth to fund a grant program to support early childhood education and care.

“The launch of our online platform marks an exciting new chapter for the Lottery as we continue to evolve and meet the needs of today’s players,” said State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, Chair of the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission. “Online lottery will allow us to compete on a more level playing field in the state’s gaming marketplace and sales will help make childcare more affordable for families across Massachusetts.”

 
“Since selling our first ticket in 1972, the Mass Lottery has become one of the top performing lotteries in the world thanks to our exciting portfolio of games, attractive prize payouts, innovative business and marketing strategies, and of course, our dedicated retail partners and loyal player base,” said Mark William Bracken, Executive Director of the Mass Lottery. “In creating Mass Lottery Online, we took a similar approach that gives our players new play experiences with the same standards they have grown to expect, wherever in Massachusetts they find themselves to be.”

Several draw-based games sold at retail are also available for purchase online: Mass Cash, Megabucks, Mega Millions, Powerball, and Millionaire for Life. Ticket costs, game odds, prize structures, and draw times remain the same for these games.

Mass Lottery Online is also introducing new games at launch, including:

• eInstant Games: Most eInstant games are digital games featuring cascading or tumbling symbols that result in instant winning experiences when a cluster of symbols match. Other play styles include key number match and find the symbol.
  
  Mass Lottery Online offers over 20 different eInstant games at launch with various prize structures. Players can play the same game at price points ranging from 50 cents to $50, with prizes proportional to the selected price point. Some eInstant games include a progressive jackpot top prize, meaning that the prize amount increases with each play, starting at a base amount and growing until a player wins it. Some progressive jackpots are connected across multiple games, allowing the pool to rise faster. Typical payout percentage for eInstant games is approximately 90 percent.
  
• Mass 3 with Wicked Bonus and Mass 4 with Wicked Bonus: Drawn once daily at 10 p.m., Mass 3 and Mass 4 are two separately drawn online-only games that are similar to the traditional daily Numbers Game, but with fixed prize amounts for each of the various ways to win. Mass 3 has a top prize of $500 for all 3 exact, and Mass 4 has a top prize of $5,000 for all 4 exact (based on a $1 bet).
  
  Wicked Bonus: A Wicked Bonus number, ranging from 0-9, is drawn separately for each game. The Wicked Bonus number can be used to replace any of the initially-drawn numbers to make new combinations. When playing a Wicked Bonus number for Mass 3, if selected numbers drawn match any of the three new Wicked Bonus winning combinations, that player wins a Wicked Bonus Prize in addition to any other game winnings. When playing a Wicked Bonus number for Mass 4, if selected numbers drawn match any of the four new Wicked Bonus winning combinations, that player wins a Wicked Bonus Prize in addition to any other game winnings.
  
  Cost: Minimum bet is 50 cents. Playing the Wicked Bonus doubles the cost of a bet.

Additional games are expected to be introduced later this year, including virtual horse racing, as well as a new eInstant game every two weeks.

Several games remain available only for retail purchase: traditional Keno, The Numbers Game, and The Wheel of Luck.

“The Mass Lottery’s commitment to the dedicated retail partners who have played such an important role in our success remains as strong as ever,” added Executive Director Bracken. “While our mission has expanded, our retail sales operation will continue to serve as an essential source of unrestricted local aid for cities and towns.”

The Lottery has implemented numerous features to its online platform to promote responsible play. As a required step in the registration process, players will be informed of the option of setting personalized deposit and play limits and instructed how to do so if desired. Players who have not set limits will continue to be notified of this option on a monthly basis. At any time, players will be able to adjust their personal limits. Stricter limits take effect immediately, while any increase requires a 48-hour period, helping prevent impulsive behavior.

Supporting player wellness, online games will feature a session timer during game play as well as an in-game pop-up message after 30 minutes of play, with additional notices at 30 minute intervals.

Online players will be able to opt for a cool-off period that will prevent them from being able to make a deposit or place a bet, or receive direct marketing communications from the Lottery, for a set period of time, ranging from 24 hours to up to six months.

In conjunction with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC), Mass Lottery Online provides players the ability to directly opt-in to PlayBreak, the voluntary self-exclusion (VSE) program, for one, three, or five year periods, or for a lifetime exclusion. The MGC operates the PlayBreak-VSE program that consists of all casinos and sports betting providers licensed in Massachusetts. This new collaboration will now allow individuals to exclude from online Lottery participation as well.

“The Massachusetts Gaming Commission is excited to partner with the Massachusetts State Lottery to offer the PlayBreak voluntary self-exclusion program to support iLottery patrons who may need a break from the platform,” said Jordan Maynard, Chair of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. “PlayBreak is an important tool to help players manage their gambling and add a level of friction when it is needed.”

To assist in the prevention of underage access to registered accounts, multi-factor authentication for all players will be required at their first login on a daily basis. Multi-factor authentication will also be required when logging in from a new device. All devices must be verified through the player’s registered email or phone, and players will only be able to be signed in to their account on one device at any given time.

The Massachusetts Problem Gambling Helpline number (800-327-5050) is displayed in multiple locations across the Mass Lottery’s online platform.

“The Lottery is committed to player wellness and responsible play, and we want our players to have tools and resources readily available for them to ensure that online game play remains an enjoyable experience,” said Executive Director Bracken.

To play Mass Lottery games online, players must be 21 or older and physically located in Massachusetts at the time of play and to make a deposit to their account. Players need to have a Mass Lottery Player Account, which can be created at masslottery.com or by downloading the Mass Lottery App on a mobile device or tablet.

All Mass Lottery Player Account holders will undergo identity verification at registration, or a one-time re-verification for those who held accounts prior to Mass Lottery Online’s launch. Registration requires full nine-digit Social Security number check, along with player’s legal full name, date of birth, residential address as well as other standard information.

Mass Lottery Online will require players to add a payment method to play. At launch, payment methods include Online Banking, ACH – Bank Transfer, debit card, PayPal and Apple Pay. Credit cards are not permitted.

Prizes under $601 won online are immediately deposited into the player’s account. Prizes between $601 – $49,999 won online will go through an online claiming process and be deposited into the player’s account typically within 24 to 48 hours of processing. Prizes of $50,000 or more won online must be claimed at the Mass Lottery headquarters in Dorchester. Since all prizes won online are associated with a verified individual account, they will not be able to be claimed in the form of a trust.