Massachusetts bill to legalise resort casinos while also stopping online gambling may return.
Friday 9th May 2008
In America, the Governor for Massachusetts, Deval Patrick, has announced that his bill to legalise casino resorts in the eastern state could make a return despite a recent high-profile defeat.
In a speech to the Brookline Chamber of Commerce this week, the Governor said that his legislation ‘may yet come back in the Legislature’. He stated that he wasn’t considering reintroducing the bill because of the possible departure of House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, a gambling opponent, but on a confluence of other factors including an unyielding need for property tax relief, the possibility of slot machines at the state's racetracks and ongoing efforts by the Wampanoag Indians to build their own casino.
'There's a lot of interest in it and issues that die in one session don't die a permanent death,' said Patrick.
'They tend to come back over time.'
He stated that one scenario could see casino gambling supporters attempt to expand the slot machine bill to include for the provisiion of resort casinos.
Patrick projected that his plan for three casinos would have generated at least $600 million in licensing fees, $400 million in annual tax revenues and 20,000 permanent jobs. However, DiMasi led efforts that killed the plan, which also included a provision banning online gambling, and argued that any revenues would have been offset by social and economic costs including lost business at other tourist destinations.
In America, the Governor for Massachusetts, Deval Patrick, has announced that his bill to legalise casino resorts in the eastern state could make a return despite a recent high-profile defeat.