Massachusetts Official Says Legal Gambling Coming This Year
The Massachusetts Treasurer told a gathering of accountants to expect lawmakers to pass some sort of legal gambling bill in the next session. Tim Cahill said in a speech to the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants that he "will be shocked" if the legislature doesn't vote to expand gambling in the next fiscal year.
Cahill added he was unsure of the form the final law might take, saying that it might be a combination of several current proposals, such as slots added to race tracks in the eastern portion of the state while licensing a casino in western Massachusetts. Such a casino would help to capture revenues flowing from the state to the Connecticut tribal casinos, Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun.
“Given the revenue needs, there’s not a question, the question is the form it will take,” said Cahill, who has been a vocal supporter of additional gambling in the state.
Cahill noted that there would probably already be casino gambling in the state, if it were not for the strong-arm maneuvers of former state House Speaker Sal DiMasi last year in defeating a gaming proposal by Governor Deval Patrick.
Several state legislative leaders have also asserted that gaming is on the way, and that the main debate when the legislature convenes this fall will be in working out the details.
