CASINO GAMBLING ACTION ALERT

Action Alert: Speaker's Bill Gambling with Massachusetts Economy

Contact your State Representatives Today!

April 6, 2010-  The Speaker of the House filed his long-promised legislation which, if enacted as written, will license two resort-style casinos and allow slot machines at four race tracks. The bill was voted out of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Expanding Technologies without a public hearing. Changes to the bill can now only come from other House committees, for example Ways and Means and Rules. The Speaker has established a deadline for amendments to the bill for this Friday, April 9.

The bill itself is long (172 pages) and, along with allowing Class III gambling (slots and table games) in the commonwealth, establishes a complex, state-run, monitoring system to assure that all aspects of the gaming industry, including licensing, hiring practices, gaming activities, and returns to the commonwealth’s coffers. Obviously, there has been very little time for anyone, including the legislators being asked to vote on the bill, to become familiar with it.

At this time there are many unanswered questions and concerns, including projected costs and benefits that expanding gaming will provide.

Some of these concerns involve:

• Job creation – For example, short term and long term numbers, types of jobs, availability of individuals to fill these positions, increased state bureaucracy.
• Revenue – What returns can be reasonably expected from gambling operations, employment taxes and the market’s ability to support ever increasing Class III gambling facilities.  
• Social costs – For example, changes to local infrastructure, potential job and small-business losses, and increased crime.
• The effect on federally-recognized Native American tribes in Massachusetts and their ability to open slots parlors and build casinos in the state.

There is ample information available for an unbiased study commission to make a reasoned determination about all the above concerns and many others based on examples from those states that have turned to Class III gambling to improve their economic situation.

It is the League’s position that casino gambling and slot machines do not constitute a reasonable revenue-producing policy based on many of the reports and studies it has reviewed over the last 25 years.

We ask that you urge your representatives to not be pressured into moving too fast but demand time to fully study the impact of the many provisions in Speaker DeLeo’s bill.