• Gambling in pool halls is illegal in Massachusetts.Billiards room interior image by Nikolay Okhitin from Fotolia.com
  
  Nearly all forms of gambling are illegal in Massachusetts. However, this is a subject of some debate since the state is struggling with budget deficits and watching as adjacent states reap big money from casinos. Massachusetts is also one of the few states that ban Native American casinos.
  
  

Illegal Gambling

• By Massachusetts law, gambling is any wager between participants or spectators of an event of more than $5 in a public place. Therefore, flipping a coin and betting $5.01 on the outcome is illegal. More specifically, betting in pool halls, bowling allies or on sports is explicitly illegal. In addition, the law prohibits otherwise legal gambling less than a mile from military parades, livestock shows or public gatherings.
  
  

Horse and Dog Racing

• The only major form of legal gambling in Massachusetts is betting on horse and dog harness races. Pari-mutuel betting is legal, where the odds and payouts result from the amount of money wagered on specific racers, not against the house picks. In addition to pari-mutuel, the most common legal form of race betting, certificate betting is technically legal, but not practiced.
  
  

Charitable Organizations

• In most states, charitable organizations and nonprofit groups may hold gambling events to raise money for good causes. Massachusetts limits these to raffles and bazaars, with licensing and approved by the state gaming commission.
  
  

Casinos

• Since 2008, the Massachusetts Legislature has had heated debate about legalizing casinos. In 2009, a Native American tribe tried to fund a $9 billion dollar casino, but the state Senate rejected the move. According to Eric Gershon of the Hartford Courant, the state legislature is working to pass a bill to approve three casino resorts in Massachusetts for purposes of revenue and job growth.