Massachusetts casino/online gambling bill seems doomed as House debates

The Massachusetts House of Representatives debated a bill today that would allow casino gambling in the commonwealth and ban online gambling. But the bill seems headed to defeat after actions in committee yesterday and after members made their opinions known on the House floor today.

The measure would allow licenses for three casinos in Massachusetts. But the chances of it passing seem remote.

From an Associated Press story on BostonHerald.com:

House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, who a day earlier had engineered a pivotal committee vote against the bill, argued expanded gambling would drain revenues from other businesses and increase personal bankruptcies and petty crime. While the Joint Committee on Economic Development voted 10-8 against the proposal on Wednesday, DiMasi’s opposition was expected to trigger a much wider defeat in the full House.

And later:

Rep. Jeffrey Sanchez, D-Boston, said supporting gambling was inconsistent with the state’s pursuit of more stable jobs and revenues from life sciences company. He also said the resort casinos would detract from the state’s traditional tourist attractions. “I do not see this legislation as a successful proposal,” Sanchez said. “I see it as the beginning for a race for gambling dollars that no one will win, and a false promise to our cities and towns for undependable and unsustainable revenues that do not make sense as economic development.”

Whole thing here.

Supporters tried to send the bill back to committee in an effort to save it, to no avail. A vote on the bill could come as early as today.