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Former Anti-Gambling House Members Now Supporting DeLeos Proposal

Posted on April 13th, 2010

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When Gov. Deval Patrick proposed a bill in 2008 calling for three resort casinos in Massachusetts, Salvatore DiMasi, who was the House Speaker at that time, was able to influence the votes of many House members enough to reject the governor’s proposal.

When Robert DeLeo, a Democrat from Winthrop who is a gambling proponent took over from DiMasi, House members who were once anti-gambling, and who had voted to deny Patrick’s three-casino bill have switched positions and are now supporting a bill sponsored by DeLeo allowing slot machines at the state’s four racetracks and two new resort casinos.

The same House members who once frowned upon Patrick’s suggestion of casino resorts are now espousing what gambling proponents have consistently emphasized – that expanded gambling could bring in more jobs and more revenues. “We live in a different world,” House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Murphy said on Thursday as his way of justifying his change in attitude.

Members say the reason for their turnaround is because the rate of unemployment in Massachusetts has gone up considerably, thus, they have made up their minds to resort to and pin their hopes on the gambling business to change the state’s financial situation for the better with the expanded gambling’s promise of jobs and revenue.

DeLeo has no doubt his bill will be approved in the House, since, he said, it is “more comprehensive” than the proposal of Patrick. DeLeo wants to obtain a two thirds majority vote, an adequate amount needed to take precedence over the possibility of Patrick rejecting the slots proposal. Patrick is against slots at tracks, but is in favor of casinos, because he says slots don’t generate as many jobs as casinos because there aren’t many amenities with slots. DeLeo dismissed implications that he is applying all means to force his legislation through the House, saying the lawmakers are “independent thinkers.”

Lawmakers are now preparing to debate on Tuesday many issues concerning the bill, especially the changes that would be made to the bill. Lawmakers are worried that the new gambling facilities would have an impact on existing businesses. Lawmakers also want to know the proper way to deal with tribal gambling since it is under federal jurisdiction and involves negotiation of compacts .

The site of the gambling facility is also a major issue. Murphy said Thursday the location of the casinos would best be left to “experts” to decide. He said, “There are pockets of reps who want them in various parts of the state,” and added that lawmakers shouldn’t reject the bill just because they disagree on the issue of location.