Two states last month rejected gaming as a new revenue source and generator of jobs and infrastructure improvements. Freshman governors who won election on the pledge to approve casinos showed their lack of political acumen in the defeats.

The three regional casino bill proposed by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick went down to defeat after several days of intense arm-twisting by House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, who said he preferred other solutions to the state’s budget crisis.

Even before the vote Patrick conceded that the bill stood little chance of passage. During his appearance before a House committee, as hundreds of supporters, including union members in hard hats, demonstrated in favor, he told the committee: “I have no illusions about the plans in the House for this legislation… What you do in this committee will determine whether that full and open debate is even possible.”

Anticipating a loss in the House, state Senator Steven Panagiotakos, chairman of the Senate Ways & Means Committee, proposed a referendum in November to poll the public on the issue.

Such a measure would require being passed in both houses of the legislature, so DiMasi could still bottle it up.
In Kentucky, Governor Steve Beshear declared his floundering casino bill to be dead, at least for this session of the legislature.

“It is time we let the people decide this issue,” he said.

Beshear, a Democrat, says casinos could help plug a projected $900 million budget deficit and forestall severe cuts in government services.

He has also advanced casino gambling as a way to fund education.    

Beshear vowed the fight for casinos isn’t over.

“Obviously, we will see how things develop over the next year and a half, as we approach the 2010 session, to see what might be possible at that time,” he said.

By Casino Connection Staff