Massachusetts: Taunton’s First Light Casino to open earlier starting this month

Taunton’s First Light Casino will begin opening two hours earlier, at 8 a.m., starting Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. The move adjusts the current operating hours, which run from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily.

"Whether you're an early riser or just love getting a head start, we'll be ready at First Light Casino," the casino said in a statement. The casino said that the new, earlier opening hours will give patrons "more time to play and enjoy your day with us."

The change is the latest expansion since the facility opened in January 2025.

Taunton and the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe signed an Intergovernmental Agreement in 2012 to develop a casino in the city. The original plan called for 3,000 slot machines, 150 table games, and 40 poker tables in “phase 1” of the project, according to a copy of the IGA reviewed by the Gazette.

The project was stalled for years due to legal challenges from local residents. The tribe ultimately won the dispute in 2024 and moved forward with development.

Later that year, the tribe announced plans to build a “welcome center” on its Taunton property. The center opened in January 2025 in temporary trailers with just 10 gaming machines.

In March 2025, a new agreement with the city allowed the casino to increase its slot machines to 50. By July, the tribe began referring to the welcome center as a casino and added additional trailers to house more gaming machines.