MGM Springfield casino in Massachusetts will debut the state’s first wide-area progressive game network through a partnership with gaming technology supplier IGT.
- MGM Springfield and IGT launch the state’s first wide-area progressive jackpot network.
- The network will feature 20 Wheel of Fortune slots with jackpots as high as $1.125 million.
- Massachusetts lawmakers delay the legalization of online casino gaming.
The network is based on IGT’s Wheel of Fortune slot games and features 20 linked slot cabinets with games from the Wheel of Fortune portfolio. Wager contributions from linked machines will be added to a shared prize pool, increasing the jackpot with each bet placed on the network games. Prizes will reset at different levels.
"MGM Springfield is excited to continue our tradition of 'firsts,' by becoming the first casino in Massachusetts to offer players the chance to win life-changing jackpots on IGT's Wheel of Fortune slots games," said Ariam Aponte, Vice President of Operations at MGM Springfield.
According to an IGT press release, the slots will have jackpot reset values ranging from $200,000 to $1.125 million. To celebrate the launch, MGM Springfield created a dedicated area on the casino floor, featuring 20 high-performing games linked to the network.
"Our recently opened Wheel of Fortune Zone differentiates MGM Springfield, features an exciting mix of slots experiences and offers jackpot opportunities that are new to players in Massachusetts," Aponte added.
IGT launched its Wheel of Fortune slot series in 1996. According to the company, the series has awarded over $3.6 billion in jackpots and has created over 1,200 millionaires. The launch adds a new gaming option at MGM Springfield, which operates in a state where casino gambling is legal but online casino gaming has not yet been authorized.
Massachusetts iGaming proposal could return in 2027
That could change, however, in 2027, according to a Massachusetts lawmaker whose plan to legalize online casino gaming failed to advance in the current legislative session.
House Representative David Muradian introduced House Bill 4431 in 2025, but after it was referred to the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies, it was sent to study, effectively preventing any further progress on it this session.
Undeterred, Rep. Muradian has indicated that he intends to bring the bill back in 2027, arguing that changes to gambling legislation need time and public discussion.
“The legislative process is deliberate in its difficulty to pass a bill. We want public input, the committee process, and from there you create a good product,” Muradian said.
If passed, the bill would allow each of the state’s three licensed land-based casinos to operate up to three Massachusetts online casino brands, regulated by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission and subject to a 15% tax on gross online gaming revenue.
The bill would also ban sweepstakes casinos, a form of online gambling site that has faced increasing scrutiny from regulators in several U.S. states.
Supporters of Massachusetts online casino legalization highlight the prospect of additional tax revenue from a regulated iGaming market, while opponents have raised concerns about the impact on the state lottery, land-based casinos and people vulnerable to gambling-related harm.
If the legalization attempts succeed in 2027, Massachusetts would become the ninth state in the country to regulate online casino gaming, joining neighboring states Rhode Island and Connecticut.
