How Massachusetts is reinventing the lottery for a new generation

Mark William Bracken has been working for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for more than 20 years. He has led the lottery for four of them. But when he walked through the door, he had one goal. Bracken told us: "It was really the only goal I had when I came to the lottery. To get the iLottery legislation passed."

That goal took longer than anyone expected. The state legislature authorized a formal study on iLottery nearly 15 years ago. The study came back recommending that the state move forward in 2014. The Senate filed the bill and passed it. The House did not take any action.

Eight years later, when Bracken took the top job, nothing had changed. He said:

I wanted to see what I could do to bring a fresh perspective into the argument on why iLottery should become a thing in Massachusetts.

In 2024, the bill finally passed. Now, the launch is close.

When can players log on?

Bracken won't pin down an exact date, but he's clear about the window.

"It's going to be the first part of the summer," he confirmed. "We're targeting the first half."

What makes Massachusetts' launch different from other states is its scope. Most iLottery programs go live with either draw games or eInstants, then add the rest later. Massachusetts is going out with everything at once. Bracken explained:

We really just have that extra layer of caution. We want to make sure when we launch, we have all our ducks in a row.

New games built for online

The full suite of current offerings will be available online at launch, with two exceptions: The Numbers Game, which is drawn twice daily, generates roughly $350 million a year in sales, and Keno, which draws every three minutes, generates roughly $1.2 billion a year in sales. Both are better suited for the in-store experience.

But Massachusetts isn't just moving existing games online. It's building new ones.

The lottery is introducing Pick 3 and Pick 4 as online-exclusive draw games — both with a twist called the Wicked Bonus. Where other states use a Fireball or Wild Ball, Massachusetts went local.

"Wicked is kind of a Massachusetts-ized term," Bracken noted.

While not at the initial launch, the lottery plans to have virtual horse racing, powered by a company called Inspired, drawing every few minutes. Virginia and the District of Columbia already offer the game. And later on, there will be raffles — something Massachusetts has done only once in the past decade due to the complexity of running them through retail. Online changes that.

"It's a fun, different thing for players to be able to engage in," Bracken said.

Half a million verified players

Before iLottery was even approved, the lottery had been building its digital player base. That base now stands at over 500,000. Every player has had their full nine-digit Social Security number confirmed through a third-party KYC (know your customer) system.

"No state has launched having had a player base with a verified full nine-digit SSN," Bracken pointed out.

That head start matters. The lottery isn't building a new website or app. Everything will live on its existing platform, minimizing disruption. Existing players will receive a notification asking them to be re-verified before launch. Bracken expects about 95% to pass without issue.

Revenue targets

The first 12 months of iLottery are projected to generate $70 million in profit. By year ten, that number climbs to $360 million.

Massachusetts plays offense here. The state already leads the nation in per capita lottery spending (third in the world by most measures, second by some). Benchmarking against Michigan, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and North Carolina shaped the projections. Retention strategy and advertising spend will do the rest. Bracken said plainly:

Our plan has to work. I don't want to be reactive. I want to be proactive. I really think the onus is on the lottery to make sure that when players come on, they want to come back.

Impact on retailers

The law requires the app to include a store finder. Massachusetts already has one. It geolocates the user, drops pins on the closest retail agents, and shows names and addresses, and it's been live for years.

"They just wrote it into state law," Bracken commented.

On lottery couriers, third-party apps like Lotto.com that buy tickets on players' behalf, Bracken takes a pragmatic view. Massachusetts doesn't regulate them, but maintains an open line of communication. When a new product launches through a carrier, the conversation happens first. Bracken added:

At the end of the day, they're buying tickets directly through an agent. That ticket sale is no different than any other vendor for me.

He pointed to two stories that stuck with him. Jackpocket's first $100,000 Mass Cash winner told them he had never played the game before — he just tried it because he was on the app. A woman who won $1 million on Lotto.com only bought the ticket because her granddaughter had to cancel the trip to the store. He reflected:

For some, it's about the convenience. For others, it's drawing in new players. There's a world where we all coexist.

What comes after launch?

Bracken laughed when asked what's next.

I'm going on vacation. That's what I'm doing.

He's earned it. Since the legislation was passed in August 2024, he hasn't stopped. A month in Europe in 2024 was the last real break he took, and that was before the work truly began.

Beyond the vacation, the roadmap is real. The Multi-State Lottery Association's X's and O's is coming, though only online for now. Legislation is pending to allow it at retail. The loyalty program is getting a serious upgrade: retail draw game players will soon be able to scan non-winning tickets through the app for a shot at $1 million in total annual prizes. This is the same kind of engagement previously reserved for instant ticket players. Bracken remarked:

We're building that omnichannel experience, where actions online and actions at retail connect for the player.

The mission behind the mandate

Retail lottery revenue in Massachusetts flows to cities and towns as local aid. iLottery will be different. Proceeds from the new platform are earmarked for early childhood education grants. Daycare, nursery school, and preschool providers that struggle to hire teachers and keep costs manageable for families will benefit. Bracken reassured:

That's something everyone can get behind. Seventy million will be helpful, but it won't make a significant dent. Once we get into the $200, $300 million range — that's going to make a real impact on people's lives.

The launch window is the first half of summer 2026. The exact date is still being finalized. What isn't in question is the intent: build it right the first time, bring in new players, and fund something that matters.