The Ongoing Gambling Saga in Massachusetts

Legislators in the state of Massachusetts started discussing the future of casino gaming on April 13th, 2010. The state House gets the first opportunity to discuss the issue and then the Senate will have their turn if the gaming proposal receives approval from House legislators.

House Speaker Robert DeLeo has proposed a gaming legislation that would add a pair of casino resorts in Massachusetts. Horse racing tracks in the state would also get the opportunity to offer their customers a limited number of slot machines under the proposal.

Governor Deval Patrick has been trying to convince legislators to approve his casino plan for more than a year. However, state lawmakers denied the governor's first try. At that time, former House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi opposed expanded gambling. In the past months, Gov. Patrick has stated that he could possibly veto House Speaker DeLeo's proposal if it included slot machines at racing tracks.

The governor would like to increase the number of casino resorts in the proposal and the slot machines for the racing tracks removed. But that it not likely to happen during the talks this week.

The state of Massachusetts is one of the states in the northeastern part of the U.S. that is slowly working towards the gaming industry. Competition has become very stiff, with major gaming expansion happening in states like Delaware and Pennsylvania.

Monday, 03 May 2010
Kori Woffendin