Casino gambling in New England is a hot button issue that’s heating up once again as another deadline approaches next week.
May 4 is the date state gambling regulators set for the first round of application deadlines for Massachusetts third and final resort casino license in the southeastern portion of the state and it looks to be quite a contest.
There are several players vying for that license and they're looking at sites in Brockton, Somerset, New Bedford and the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe has plans in Taunton.
Patrick Kelly, Providence College Professor and Accountancy Department Chair, tells WGBH Morning Edition host Bob Seay, “ the fate of these applications depends on whether the Mashpee Tribe receives federal recognition and permission to go ahead with its plans for a $500-million dollar casino in Taunton.”
Kelly says, “If the Mashpee Tribes gets approval to build a casino in SE Mass prior to a state approved casino, it’s conceivable that there could be four casinos in the state.”
Across the state border in Rhode Island, Twin River Casino of Lincoln, RI recently announced its proposal to move Newport Grand to Tiverton, a stone’s throw from where a casino may be built in southeastern Massachusetts.
Kelly says all of these plans are being termed the “Casino Arms Race in New England.” He says there’s growing interest in what’s taking place in nearby neighboring states in terms of competition.
It’s possible, Kelly says, “ you're looking at different sizes of facilities , and the viability of these proposed casinos may fluctuate." He says, " what companies are vying to build in the southeast region of Massachusetts is not the $1-point-6 billion casino that's proposed by Wynn Resorts in Everett, and instead a southeast casino is closer to a $500-million dollar facility."
With the proliferation of casinos in New England, a question arises over how much interest there is in gambling, and the rise of a convenience gambling or multiple visits by a nearby neighbor and the potential for problem gamblers.
To listen to more of WGBH's interview with Providence College Professor Patrick Kelly click on the link below:
