Gambling opponents are pushing a proposed ballot question that would repeal the law legalizing casinos in Massachusetts.

When the state legalized casino gambling, supporters said it would create jobs and much needed revenue for Massachusetts.

But John Ribeiro of Winthrop says the gambling law is misguided.

“There’s not a single community in the country that’s better off for having added a casino," Ribiero said.

Ribeiro has filed a petition for a ballot question to block casinos from opening.

He says he expects casino companies to spend a lot of money to defeat the measure if it lands on the ballot.

“We know we’ll be facing an uphill battle in terms of spending," he said. "But what we found is that more the people hear about casinos and the more they learn about them, the more they don’t like them.”

The petition to repeal the casino law was signed by, among others , Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone and Steve Abdow, a top staff member with the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts.

The state gaming commission is expected to award licenses for casinos in Western Massachusetts and the Boston area early next year.

Activists must collect more than 80,000 signatures to get the measure on the ballot.