Massachusetts Casino Expansion Plan Sparks Revenue Concerns
Massachusetts is seeing growing opposition to an effort to install historical horse racing (HHR) machines at two former racetracks. Critics say the plan could hurt current casinos, cut public revenues, and create an uneven regulatory landscape. Massachusetts House Gambling Proposal Could Generate $120M Annually The proposal is included in a House version of an economic development bill that passed in July. It would allow Suffolk Downs and Raynham Park to run HHR machines under licenses previously issued to the old racetracks. The Senate version does not include that provision, leaving it among the issues lawmakers must work out on a conference committee, reported The Boston Globe . Ron Mariano , House Speaker, has defended the measure as a way to raise more money for healthcare. The proposal calls for 2.5% of the total amount wagered on HHR machines to go to the state’s Health Safety Net trust fund . The fund helps hospitals and health centers care for the uninsured and underinsured. Backers say the new gambling operations could produce $120 million a year in tax revenue by their third year. However, the state’s three licensed casino operators dispute those projections, warning that the expansion could hurt existing income streams.
