Massachusetts Senate Ready to Take Up Gambling Bill

The Massachusetts State Senate is set to complete their work on a bill that would expand casino gambling throughout the state this week, finally overcoming opposition attempts to slow down the bill. A final vote on the measure is now expected by the end of the week.

Debate on the bill is expected to continue on Tuesday, after the Senate returns from the Columbus Day holiday. The bill has already passed in the State House, and Governor Deval Patrick supports the proposal as well.

The new bill would give Massachusetts a new entry in the increasingly competitive gambling market that has been developing rapidly in the Northeastern United States. Along with longstanding casinos in Connecticut and Atlantic City, the past decade has seen a number of new casinos, slot parlors and racinos open in New York, Pennsylvania, Maine, Delaware and Maryland.

The Massachusetts plan would add four new facilities in the next few years. First, a slots-only facility would open within a year after the passage of the legislation. Then, three Vegas-style resort casinos would be opened in different regions of the state within the next few years.

Expanding statewide gambling has gained traction in Massachusetts over the last few years, with the closest call coming in 2010, when both the House and Senate agreed on a bill. However, Governor Patrick had issues with the specifics of the facilities allowed by the bill. This year’s bill has been signed off on by both Patrick and the leaders of both houses of the state legislature.

Opposition to the bill has come from those who believe the casinos will cause more harm than good to the state. They see a likely increase in problem gambling, and point to the fact that revenues from gambling are likely to be disproportionately collected from the less wealthy. Supporters say that the multitude of nearly gambling centers means that new casinos in Massachusetts aren’t likely to create any new gamblers – just keep more of them in state, and attract visitors from other nearby areas.