Baker: Too early to talk winners, losers in Mass. gambling
PHOTOS/EDD COTE
The Plainridge Park slots parlor in Plainville opened in June.
As the four-year anniversary of the state's casino law approaches there's only one facility authorized by that law in operation, but Gov. Charlie Baker says it will be a "long time" before Massachusetts can be designated as a winner or loser in the expanding gambling industries.
"We have a lot of history of giving people a lot of latitude to speak their piece and engage on public dialogue on everything," Baker told WBZ political analyst Jon Keller during a televised interview Sunday morning. "Big home rule state -- local government, local voice -- and that absolutely slows down the process in practically everything."
Baker, during his 2010 run for governor, expressed a preference for a single-casino approach. In addition to a licensed slot machine venue operating in Plainville, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission has licensed resort casinos in Everett and Springfield, is evaluating an applicant for a commercial casino license in Brockton, and is monitoring plans for a tribal casino in Taunton. Meanwhile, casinos and lotteries in neighboring states, and fantasy sports are also competing for shares of the gaming dollar.
"It's going to be a long time before anybody's going to know who wins and who loses with respect to all of this stuff," Baker said, asserting that casino developers in Everett and Springfield are "on the property."
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