The campaign to allow online casino gaming in Massachusetts has met yet another stumbling block, with senior officials putting the brakes on Rep. David Muradian’s H4431 legislation. The delay appears to be deliberate, with the underlying reason most likely being worry about the potential damage legalized online casinos represent to the state’s lottery earnings.
Lawmakers assess the economic upside against gambling concerns.
The new delay is due to disagreement among politicians on whether the benefits of establishing real-money online casinos exceed the related social and economic risks. The Legislature opted to extend Muradian’s proposal’s reporting deadline until March 16.
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One of the main opponents of the establishment of internet casinos is State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, who is in charge of the Massachusetts Lottery. She claims that the lottery cannot compete with online casinos and their eye-catching, captivating games that are readily available on mobile devices, citing a restricted marketing budget.
Sen. John Keenan and Governor Maura Healey are two more prominent opponents. Their main worries are whether the state has sufficient consumer protections in place and the possibility of problem gambling. To put it briefly, before they provide their support, they want confirmation that citizens won’t be harmed by online casino games.
The lottery against online casinos: a revenue battle
The Bay State receives a substantial amount of money from the Massachusetts Lottery, which is used to finance regional initiatives and programs that directly assist locals. Legalized online casinos could compete for the same gambling money, which could lower lottery earnings, according to some officials.
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