Massachusetts House Resoundingly Rejects Patrick Gambling Bill
After months of high-stakes politicking, Governor Deval Patrick's casino bill for Massachusetts finally reached a voting stage yesterday, and was crushed in a landslide victory for Patrick's rival, Speaker of the House Sal DiMasi. The House vote was 108 against, 46 in favor.
Patrick's team pushing the bill included such luminaries as Sheldon Alderson, owner of Las Vegas Sands and the Venetian Hotel. Rumor had it that Alderson's people had had significant input into the writing of the bill.
A massive media campaign had gone on for months across the state, and millions were spent by both sides. Unions had strongly supported Patrick.
Aside from licensing three land casinos, the bill also contained alarming provisions for jailing online players. This turned many pro-gambling advocates against Patrick's bill, including Harvard professor and poker hobbyist Charles Neeson. Neeson could find no representatives on the Governor's team who admitted knowing how the online clause came to be included.
Patrick was out of state on unspecified personal business at the time of his biggest political defeat. DiMasi said, "The big money special interests lost, and the people of Massachusetts won."
Other gambling bills will now be more closely reviewed, as their chances improve in the wake of Patrick's defeat. One proposing slots and games to be allocated to racetracks has a chance to pass. Also, Indian casinos may still be opening soon, despite resistance by Patrick.
Patrick's bill may be reintroduced at another time, but after the unfavorable committee report and the huge gap in support the vote showed, it doesn't seem likely to pass anytime soon. In the meantime, Patrick's budget will need major changes, as the Governor relied on casino revenue in his budgetary plan.
