Best online casino craps guide

Massachusetts Eyes New Round of Expanded Gambling Talks

Posted on April 30th, 2011

News Sponsored by Online Vegas Casino

Rated 5 Stars by BestCraps.com

Read Review

Visit Casino

Download Software

————————————————

In one of the more subtle responses given by the present state administration to gambling-related legislation or proposals, Governor Deval Patrick said that state lawmakers are deep in their knees trying to “find a way to something” referring to efforts to pass an expanding gambling measure in the legislature. Still, Gov. Patrick exercised the same level of caution that he has been known for throughout his administration by adding “we’re not there yet.” Gov. Patrick talked in detail about House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo and Senate President Therese Murray on plans to push forward with negotiations which hopefully will pave the way for a gambling bill approval without the finger-pointing and bipartisan voting that characterized last year’s sessions. Those meaningful discussions and passionate bars eventually led to nothing but collapsed agreements and failed promises in terms of allowing casinos to come into Massachusetts. The painful part in all these was that most of the lawmakers through which the gambling efforts were first reviewed initially signified their support over expanded gambling measures.

In short, there was nothing but pure talk from the policy-making perspective. As far as the people and the state coffers are concerned, talk doesn’t give you anything tangible. Supposedly, the only thing that was going to make this whole debate painful was a discussion on slot machines for the four racetracks within the state as DeLeo is known to oppose such measures. In general, last year’s legislative session can be condensed into two critical talking points that still resonate loudly with gambling supporters this time around: that negotiations bugged down right at the onset when casino talks came about, and that Gov. Patrick vetoed the bill that would have awarded multiple licenses to racinos – merged casinos and racetracks – which would allowed slot machines to find their way into the state managed racing facilities.

That time, Gov. Patrick contended that racinos were essentially “no bid contracts” and were in violation of the supposed nature of the industry pertaining to license granting – all contract needs to be bidded out properly and imaprtially. For now, “We’re talking,” said Gov. Patrick during a monthly “Ask the Governor” portion on one of the state’s more famous radio stations yesterday. “The only agreement we have (thus far) is to resume the hearings and refresh some of the data that we have,” referring to the status of the current effort. Gov. Patrick was also quick to point out that DeLeo has put more emphasis on expanded gambling than he has but that doesn’t preclude the progress of negotiations nor is it expected to impair the rate at which key provisions can be hammered.

The next step in the road toward legalized casino gaming for Massachusetts are the public hearings to be conducted by the Economic Development and Emerging Technologies Committee which is tasked to look at both the viability of gambling as a means toward economic development as well as the idea of casinos as emerging technologies that can help to boost the state’s standing not only as a provider of casino services but also to even up the playing field with neighboring states who have all adopted gambling measures one way or another. Pennsylvania and New Jersey are now neck-and-neck in the race towards being the most preferred gambling destination in the region and Delaware and Rhode Island are also keen enough to continue working on measures to raise more revenues for the state’s coffers through gambling.

Gov. Patrick’s words also came less than a day after Rep. Joseph F. Wagner (D-Chicopee), chairman of the Economic Development and Emerging Technologies Committee told Western Massachusetts business leaders that Patrick, Murray, and DeLeo all need to agree on a consensus before the committee will decide to vote on the matter. If approved, the proposal would eventually lead to the creation of three resort-style casinos across the state. DeLeo is hopeful this proposal would spread both jobs and revenues around equally enough to catalyze growth in an economy that has remained stagnant for the better part of two years following one of the more devastating recessions in recent history. The three casinos will be distributed strategically with one in Western Massachusetts, and either Palmer or Holyoke.