Self-exclusion by state · Massachusetts
How to self-exclude from sports betting in Massachusetts
Massachusetts has one program where you choose the categories: casinos, sports wagering and iLottery. Enrollment is done with a PlayWell advisor, in person or by video. Daily fantasy and store-bought lottery tickets are never covered.
The short answer
Tick every category that applies — choosing one does not cover the others. You enroll with a PlayWell advisor (video sessions available). Operators may not keep an account open for an excluded person.
Program: Voluntary Self-Exclusion (VSE) Program, run by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC). Official page →
Terms: 1 year · 3 years · 5 years · Lifetime (only after completing an earlier term; 2023 FAQ said after 6 months of an initial term - )
Massachusetts help: Massachusetts Problem Gambling Helpline / Safer Gaming Education Line 1-800-426-1234 (24/7); PlayWell.org LiveChat
What to do today, before the state list kicks in
Book a PlayWell session today (remote video is available). While you wait, use each sportsbook app's own self-exclusion or 'temporary prohibition', which Massachusetts operators must apply within 24 hours.
Then read how to block each app — excluding inside the app is usually faster than any state list, and it’s the first layer of the firewall.
What the Massachusetts list covers, and what it doesn’t
| Type of gambling | Status | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Online sportsbooks | Covered | |
| Retail sportsbooks | Covered | |
| Casinos | Covered | |
| Online casino | N/A | (no legal online casino in MA); iLottery is a separate selectable category |
| Daily fantasy / pick'em | Not covered | |
| Lottery | Not covered | ILottery only if selected; retail lottery tickets NOT covered |
| Video gaming machines | N/A | |
| Tribal casinos | N/A | (no operating tribal casino in MA) |
| Prediction markets (Kalshi etc.) | Unconfirmed |
The gaps people miss
- You must actively tick each category (casino, sports wagering, iLottery) - picking one does not cover the others
- Retail lottery tickets and scratch-offs are never covered
- Not removed automatically - but also stays in force until you complete a reinstatement session
- Lifetime is not available on a first enrollment
- Daily fantasy/pick'em apps are not MGC-licensed and not covered
- Operators may, but need not, extend the ban to their other products
- Prediction-market apps are not mentioned by MGC and are presumably not covered
- GameSense was replaced by PlayWell (March 27, 2026) - older guides reference GameSense
How to enroll in Massachusetts
| Way to enroll | Available? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Online | Yes | |
| In person | Yes | |
| By mail | No | |
| By phone or video | Yes |
- Contact a PlayWell advisor or MGC-trained agent: call 1-800-426-1234 (24/7), use LiveChat at PlayWell.org, or email vse@massgaming.gov / call 617-533-9737
- Choose in-person (PlayWell Info Centers at Plainridge Park, MGM Springfield, Encore Boston Harbor, or MGC Boston office by appointment) or a remote video enrollment session
- Show a government-issued photo ID with signature and have your photo taken
- Pick categories: casino gaming, sports wagering, and/or iLottery
- Pick a term: 1, 3 or 5 years (lifetime only after completing a shorter term)
- Sign the VSE agreement; forms must be submitted by the advisor/agent, not by you directly
What you need
Government-issued photo ID with signature (driver's license, passport, etc.), photograph taken at enrollment, signed VSE agreement. Must enroll through a PlayWell advisor or MGC-designated agent.
How long it takes to take effect
MGC does not publish a processing time for the VSE list. (Separate in-app 'temporary prohibition' under 205 CMR 254 is effective immediately; operators must update systems within 24 hours.)
What happens to your balance and open bets
Do this first, whatever your state says: withdraw your balance and let open bets settle before you enroll. Getting money back afterward means dealing with an operator that is now required to refuse you.
Operators may not maintain an account for an excluded person (205 CMR 248). On closure, remaining balance must be refunded within 5 business days once funds clear. Pending wagers handled per operator T&Cs (returned or settled). Winnings while excluded are confiscated to the Sports Wagering Fund.
Can you get off the list early?
Term cannot be shortened (can be extended any time). Not removed automatically: after the term ends you must complete a reinstatement session with a PlayWell advisor/MGC agent (in person, LiveChat, phone 617-533-9737 or vse@massgaming.gov) and receive a 'Confirmation of VSE Removal Receipt'.
Free blocking software in Massachusetts
We haven’t found a state-funded free blocker for Massachusetts. Gamban costs about $42 a year; the iPhone Screen Time lock is free.
The Betting Firewall
This is one wall. You need five.
The Massachusetts list makes licensed operators refuse you. It does nothing about offshore sites, prediction-market apps, a friend’s account, or the money in your checking account. That’s what the other four layers are for.
- The appsSelf-exclude and close every sportsbook, fantasy, and prediction-market account you have. Guide →
- Your phoneBlock the apps and sites at the device level so a deleted app can't come back. Guide →
- A blockerInstall Gamban or another blocker that can't be removed early. Guide →
- Your moneyCard controls, gambling blocks at your bank, and someone else on the account. Guide →
- The state list — this pageEnroll in your state's self-exclusion program so every licensed operator has to refuse you.
The 24-Hour Betting Shutdown Plan
Self-exclusion is one wall. The Shutdown Plan walks you through all five layers of the Betting Firewall in one day — apps, phone, money, people, and the state list. Free, first name and email only.
Sign-up opens shortly. In the meantime, every step is on the Shutdown Plan page.
No spam, no selling your data, unsubscribe anytime. If you want structure past day one, the 90-Day Stop Betting Program is the next step — we’ll mention it once in the emails.