The Massachusetts legislature will be lobbied hard today by union officials as the resort casino bill hearing commences. Governor Deval Patrick will address a pro-casino rally before attending the State House procedure, which is expected to attract hundreds of casino supporters as well as those opposed to expanded gambling in the state. The unions are strongly in favour of casino resorts in Massachusetts for the jobs and economic opportunities the operations could be expected to bring.

Patrick, the unions and casino supporters will have a hard battle to bring casino licensing to Massachusetts under the present bill. One provision makes online poker illegal, so even that sector of the gaming industry will be opposing the present bill. Most analysts believe that the Governor’s bill will fail as the powerful House speaker Salvatore DiMasi has been persuading legislatures to vote with him against the measure.

With the Governor and the Speaker so much at odds, some legislators are of the opinion that the casino question should be put directly to the voters in a referendum. Governor Patrick says that casinos in Massachusetts would raise US$600 million in application fees alone but DiMasi says crime and gambling addiction would increase. Recent polls show that local residents are about equally split on the casino issue – 42% against, 41% in favour and 17% indifferent. (E-03.18.08)

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