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It appears that the move toward bringing slot machines to the Massachusetts racing venues has become a nonstop express train.  Most want to see slot machines up an running before the end of this year.

The major shift happened when House Speaker Sal DiMasi resigned last month.  DiMasi was a major hurtle for slot machine as the most outspoken opponent against gambling expansion.  Representative Robert DeLeo, the new House Speaker is a big supporter of expanding gambling by bringing slot machines to racetrack casinos, also known as racinos.  DeLeo is a Democrat from Winthrop.  His district has two racing venues that would like to operate slot machines.

The general consensus in the Massachusetts Senate is that most have been in support of slot machines and gambling expansion for quite sometime.  Not everyone is as outspoken about their support for slot machines as Governor Deval Patrick who would like for Massachusetts to be come a destination town for gambling.  After meeting with his legislative leaders, Patrick recently announced, “Let the games begin.”

A huge budget deficit, reportedly $3 billion or higher, is really helping the process toward slot machines along.  Massachusetts is not the only state facing a major budget deficit thanks to the current global depression.  Maryland, for example, faces a similar deficit estimated to be around $2 billion.  

States have begun relying on slot machines to not only for the extra revenue to meet budget obligation but also to save their horse and horse racing industries.  Slot machine revenues have been used for everything including funding veteran care, college scholarship funds, and sweetening purses to keep horseracing venues competitive.

 

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