A Massachusetts bill presented to the House which would allow three premier casinos to operate while at the same time taking online gambling and turning it into a criminal activity was turned down this past week with a majority vote of 106-48. The bill was originally proposed by Governor Deval Patrick, and opposed by House Speak Salvatore F. DiMasi has been put to rest until sometime next year.
Although some would think the bill would have been defeated on the grounds of the three casinos, it is in fact suggested that the provision which would criminalize online gambling could have been the pinnacle point in its downfall.
Earlier in the week the Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies voted 10-8 to reject the bill prior to it setting foot within the House. With the lack of support coming from Democratic Representative Robert L. Rice Jr. Prior to the bill taken to vote in the House, it has been reported that he found the provisions for online gambling to be one which he did not support. He is in full support of a form of gambling establishments within the state but disapproved of the bills “concept and specifics” when it came down to online gambling.
