Thursday, February 01, 2007

Most Massachusetts residents support the legalization of casino gambling in
the state, according to a poll released today by the Center for Policy
Analysis at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth. About 57 percent of
those surveyed said they support the authorization of a resort casino in the
state, while 30 percent were opposed and 14 percent were undecided. The
poll, which was conducted this past fall, involved more than 1,000
Massachusetts residents. Percentages add up to more than 100 because of
rounding. Respondents in general said the increase in tax revenue and jobs
that a casino would bring outweighed the social costs. But nearly half
expressed concerns about the potential for increased gambling addiction and
political corruption should casino gambling be allowed in the state.
Asked to pick the best location for a casino, respondents favored Western
Massachusetts, Boston and the New Bedford/Fall River area, in that order.
They ranked Cape Cod and the Plymouth area as the worst places in the state
for a casino. The Cape & Islands region was the only part of the state where
less than 50 percent of respondents supported a casino. There, 43 percent
were in favor and 41 percent were opposed. In Southeastern Massachusetts,
excluding Cape Cod and the Islands, 57 percent favored allowing casino
gambling in Massachusetts while 31 percent were against it. Men were more
likely to support a casino, with 63 percent saying they approved of casino
gambling in the state. About 51 percent of women supported casinos. About 52
percent of people making more than $150,000 opposed casino gambling, but
majorities in all other income levels supported it. ''Massachusetts
residents strongly believe it is time the commonwealth authorize a casino to
compete with Connecticut for the gambling, entertainment and tourism dollars
associated with Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun,'' said Clyde Barrow, the director
of the Center for Policy Analysis and a casino supporter. ''They understand
the amount of money that Bay Staters are gambling out-of-state. They grasp
the potential fiscal and economic benefits, and they understand that there
are potential social costs involved.'' The issue of whether the state should
allow casino gambling periodically comes before the Legislature. The
question is expected to resurface this year, especially because the state is
facing a possible $1 billion budget shortfall, putting pressure on state
officials to look for new sources of revenue.