Gambling in Massachusetts
Editorials and columns on the prospect of casinos in the Bay State
As Governor Deval Patrick and other Massachusetts officials consider a push for expanded gambling in the state, op-ed columnists and the Globe's editorial board weigh in on the issue.
A risky bet on urban casinosWHEN THE Patrick administration talks about building three resort-style casinos modeled on Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, it is referring to the upscale shops, restaurants, hotels, and entertainment venues there. It is not, however, talking about the remote locations of the Connecticut casinos. Theoretically, all three Massachusetts casinos could wind up in urban areas. And that should give the ... ()Let the people pick their poisonTHIS IS a real Robert Frost moment for Massachusetts. Two roads diverged, as the poet famously wrote. One directs the Commonwealth to casino gambling, its promise and pitfalls. The other keeps Massachusetts on the well-worn and unpopular path of conventional taxation. ()The strengths of the property taxThe governor expects millions of dollars in new casino gambling revenue for infrastructure investment and relief for homeowners facing high property tax bills. (Boston Globe, 9/22/07)The governor's game of chanceIf the governor's plans come to fruition, it would be both a first in modern times and a throwback to the founding of the nation and the building of its most famed public and private institutions. (Boston Globe, 9/22/07)Ethics of gamblingThe ethics surrounding the gambling issue, both in theory and reality, is surprisingly complex. (Boston Globe, 9/21/07)Playing the jobs chipJust so we're all on the same page: Governor Deval Patrick's proposal for three casinos is, in fact, a jobs program. (Boston Globe, 9/21/07)Gambling on gaming revenuesGOVERNOR PATRICK said this week that "casino gambling is neither a cure-all nor the end of civilization." The disclaimer was followed by a bit of the-devil-made-him-do-it victimhood, and he obliquely blamed the Republican Weld, Cellucci, Swift, and Romney administrations. ... (Boston Globe, 9/19/07)Collateral damageTo pay for the human collateral damage in the name of economic policy, the governor has proposed a "best in class" program to support gambling prevention and addiction services. (...) Does being number one in rehabbing our losers allow us to sleep better at night? (Boston Globe, 9/19/07) |
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Letters to the editor:
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Ground rules for gambling
PROMISING TO proceed "with care and transparency" on gambling, Governor Patrick yesterday provided an outline of his plan to license three resort casinos in Massachusetts. Not everyone was reassured, of course. (Boston Globe, 9/18/07)Massachusetts' fortune is with gaming
IN 1971, the Massachusetts Legislature voted to create the Commonwealth's first state-sanctioned lottery since colonial days. Today, we are bracing for another contentious, political debate. (Boston Globe, 9/18/07)Patrick rolls the dice
GOVERNOR PATRICK knows slot machines and table games are not the stuff of human ideals that he talked about in his campaign. But he also hopes to prod the economy while generating badly needed revenue for state government. He has reached the sensible conclusion that casinos, if carefully planned, can help on both counts. (Boston Globe, 9/17/07)Governor Slots?
All those painful missteps of the early days - the $10,000 drapes, the Caddy, the caddie for his wife - are in the rearview mirror where they belong. But now, still in his first year, Deval L. Patrick is on the brink of a decision that will define his legacy: Will he be the governor who brings casinos to Massachusetts? (Boston Globe, 9/14/07)Place your bet, governor
If Governor Deval Patrick is still unsure about casino gambling, he should follow that wise instinct and walk away from it now. (Boston Globe, 9/6/07)Casinos and the American way
Some scenes from the casino wars: Governor Ernie Fletcher of Kentucky wants his reelection battle with Democratic challenger Steve Beshear to turn on the issue of casino gambling. Fletcher opposes any expansion of legal gambling in Kentucky beyond the state's famous racetracks. Beshear favors amending the state constitution to legalize casinos. Last week, the governor embarked on a "No Casinos ... (Boston Globe, 8/26/07)My father and the loan sharks
"The Men" forced my father's hand onto our store's butcher block, then one swung the meat cleaver down, burying it between his fingers into the well-seasoned maple wood. Again and again. I was 9 and terrified as one of the three men held me and made me watch my father shake and cry. (Boston Globe, 8/16/07)DiMasi holds the cards
The man most likely to decide whether Massachusetts gambles on casino gambling isn't Governor Deval Patrick. (Boston Globe, 8/12/07)Tough questions on gambling
Governor Patrick owes Massachusetts residents more than a simple "go" or "no go" on casino gambling by his self-imposed deadline of Labor Day. If Patrick nixes the idea, the public will want to know how else he expects to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in needed revenue for the state. If the governor gives thumbs up on casinos, then ... (Boston Globe, 8/9/07)Gambling on our future
The gathering in Middleborough last weekend may look like a morality play about casino gambling in America. Yet at its heart, the vote was just another municipal decision about land use, like thousands of votes taken every year by planning boards, city councils, and town meetings across Massachusetts. (Boston Globe, 8/4/07)Casinos -- the new gold rush
Say it ain't so. The Boston Globe has endorsed casino expansion, giving state leaders who have remained silent a free pass on this failed business/economic development strategy. As with prior casino proposals in Massachusetts, the Middleborough proposal is all about money, special interests, and politics. State Treasurer Tim Cahill, who has been through the "gold rush" lobbying before, is one ... (Boston Globe, 8/2/07)Middleborough antes up
Whatever its implications for the state as a whole, last week's 2-to-1 vote by Middleborough residents to approve a planned casino there reflects deep-rooted dissatisfaction with rising residential property taxes. (Boston Globe, 7/31/07)Selling fast, selling short on gambling
Oh, the blunder of it all. Gambling proponents in Middleborough are pushing hard for a casino. They want a Massachusetts version of the wonder of it all at Foxwoods and the world at play at Mohegan Sun. (Boston Globe, 7/26/07)Casinos reconsidered
For months, state officials have been poring over studies on casino gambling, in anticipation of yesterday's briefing for Governor Patrick. Between now and Labor Day, the governor will be wading through material on regulatory issues, gross tax revenues, and potential economic impacts from pathological gambling, to name just a few factors. (Boston Globe, 7/26/07)Helping those whom gambling hurts
With the prospect of expanded gambling in Massachusetts comes an expanded responsibility to protect those who should not or can not gamble safely. (Boston Globe, 7/14/07)You can bet on this
Yvonne Abraham takes a first-hand look at casino gambling. (7/8/07)Scratching the lottery
Let the Mashpee Wampanoags have their casino. Then the state should kill the lottery. (Boston Globe, 7/7/07)Gambling fever's tight grip
After my son turned 18 recently, I started finding scratched-out lottery tickets on his nightstand. He is now old enough to indulge his fantasy of easy money. (Boston Globe, 6/7/07)Gambling on a roll of the dice
Bet on it. Casino gambling is on the table in Massachusetts. (2/22/07)Patrick should rage for the machines
Governor-elect Deval Patrick won the hearts, minds, and votes of many municipal leaders and beleaguered homeowners when he promised to restore sinking local aid and provide some relief to soaring property taxes. Now, the challenge is to find the substantial funding necessary to make those promises a reality. (Boston Globe, 12/7/06)