Massachusetts Preparing For Hearing on Online Gambling

This week there will be a hearing in Massachusetts on Governor Deval Patrick legislation to bring three resort casinos to Western Massachusetts, Southeastern Massachusetts, and metropolitan Boston. It will also contain verbiage that would make online poker and online gambling illegal for state residents.

Gov. Patrick claimed in a Boston Herald article that these casinos would generate $200 million to $300 million in licensing fees every 10 years. He also plans on passing $400 million a year for state coffers into property tax relief and roads and bridges.

Ironically the 3 paragraphs of the bill that effectively bans online gambling from Massachusetts residents also specifically exempts the proposed casinos from the law. Congressman Barney Frank who has introduced HR 2046, the IGREA bill to license and regulate online gambling in the USA has openly criticized the actions of Patrick stating, "Why is gambling in a casino OK and gambling on the internet is not?"

There are many local law makers on both sides of the issue. Those in favor say that the state needs new revenue and point at the amount of money the casinos in Connecticut are getting from Massachusetts residents.

Those oppose are critical of the revenue estimates supplied by the Patrick administration, which are not supported by a third party supplier and Patrick has supplied little explanation on where the revenue numbers came from. They also are worried over the local businesses being negatively affected as well as they don't agree how the revenues would be spent.

Representative Jeffrey Sanchez says, "It's not an easy decision. People see Donald Trump is coming, Las Vegas is coming."