February 1st, 2011 – by Glen Farmer
Though the debate has lasted for some time, the possibility of slots casinos in Massachusetts has once again come to the table. House Speaker Robert DeLeo has renewed his desire to create legislation that would legalize slot parlors in the state.
The gambling debate in Massachusetts ended last year on a down note. The legislative session ended on July 31st, the proponents and opponents to gambling in the state had failed to reach an agreement.
Some proponents to gambling were looking for resort style casinos, while others simply wanted slot machines and slot parlors. Opponents to the slot parlors did not want to add to the gambling market without offering the full range of games that can be found in full scale casinos.
DeLeo had aimed to put slots into racetracks in order to aid the racing industry during the recession. DeLeo’s aims are to keep the tracks operating by bringing in extra revenue. Like many other states, Massachusetts is considering augmenting gambling laws rather than allowing them to fail.
Though the process is not likely to be fast, the passing of these bills could happen before the end of the session?