You’ll have to be older than 18 to play online Mass. lottery if pols approve it

While the concept of online lottery has made legislative headway, not every Massachusetts lottery player will be allowed to play.

Legalization of iLottery sales was included in the state’s $58 billion compromise budget unveiled by the House on Thursday, which included other items such as free community college for all state residents and hundreds of millions of dollars set aside for MBTA funding.

In order to reach a compromise, platform restrictions were introduced, Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Middlesex/Norfolk, told WBUR’s “Radio Boston” program on Friday morning. These restrictions included increasing the age of those allowed to play the lottery online.

“We were able to negotiate what we believe are better protections in iLottery. We raised the age of those that could participate from 18 to 21. We prohibited predatory advertising against minors and got other controls through negotiation so we felt more comfortable with it this time,” the Ashland lawmaker told WBUR.

• Read more: iLottery in Mass. budget deal could give way to ‘modern’ experience, director says

The Senate snubbed iLottery in the past, citing concerns over the length of time it would take for the expected $100 million revenue generation and potential effects on brick-and-mortar stores.

“This is part of the reason why we negotiate a budget; we sit with the House and we work through their provisions. They work through ours,” Spilka said.

A Lottery spokesperson, Max O’Day, confirmed to MassLive the online age restriction will not apply to those who buy a lottery ticket in-person at a brick-and-mortar store. That will continue to be 18 years old.

• Read more: $58B Mass. budget deal includes free community college, online Lottery sales and more

The legal casino gambling age in Massachusetts is 21, as is all sports betting age requirements.

“Our team is excited to implement an online Lottery. We are ready and prepared to offer our players a modern lottery experience in a safe and accessible environment,” Massachusetts State Lottery Executive Director Mark William Bracken said Friday morning.

State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, chairman of the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission, said the Lottery is looking to make iLottrery “safe” and “reliable.”

“Online Lottery in the final FY25 budget is great news. This will allow the Lottery to keep pace with its competition and reach newer audiences,” Goldberg said.

“We are prepared to implement a safe and reliable iLottery that will produce significant resources for critical childcare services, which are so desperately needed across the state,” Goldberg said. She thanked state House Speaker Ron Mariano, D-3rd Norfolk, Spilka, the respective chairs of the House and Senate Ways & Means committees, and other legislators.

Lawmakers in the majority-Democrat state House and Senate are expected to vote on the bill Friday and send it to Gov. Maura Healey’s desk. The new fiscal year started on July 1. Lawmakers are racing to finish their business before the end of formal sessions on July 31.