Rep. Bosley Details Why We Must Stop Slots
      Rep. Daniel Bosley (D-North Adams), the most vocal opponent of expanded gambling on Beacon Hill, gave detailed reasons in an interview with the State House News Service yesterday why he will oppose the push to expand gambling in this state. The House is scheduled to begin the debate of the licensing of up to 8000 slot machines at racetracks in one week (April 5).
      Bosley called slots a “lousy investment” for the state because slot parlors will suck revenue away from restaurants and tourist attractions and “cannibalize” local business.
      In addition to draining money from local businesses, it won’t save the jobs of racetrack workers, as proponents allege. He pointed to experiences in Rhode Island and Iowa, where the revenue from racing plummeted after slot machines were launched. Slots don’t save the racing industry he said, but create a new revenue source for track owners. “It’s clear you’re not saving the jobs that everyone’s pointing to.”
      Much of the push for slots has been created by out-of-state slot machine manufacturers that have been lobbying for expanded gambling, and making sizable campaign contributions to local politicians over the last few months. MassNews has gone into detail on the contributions going to Treasurer Tim Cahill. (Read Story ).
      Bosley also cited the social cost to the state that's not being considered by slot proponents.
      “They rely on your not winning,” he said. “It takes a lot of money out of the economy, much of which doesn’t come to us, much of which goes to these gambling companies. The return on our investment for putting these things in is pitiful and the cost of running these things falls disproportionately on the lowest income residents of the state.”
      “If you take a look at what’s happened elsewhere, most of your gamblers
come from your own state. So we’re creating a whole new breed of gamblers and that generation of gamblers will take money that’s already spent in the economy elsewhere and it will be transferred into these slot machines.”
      Massachusetts already has the highest per capita spending in the country on our Lottery, observers point out. They point out that much of the Lottery money is sent back to the towns and cities in the form of state aid. “Racinos” will likely undermine the Lottery, yet not produce the aid back to the other cities and towns like the Lottery does.
      Slot machine proponents confidently predict they have the votes to pass the bill and are working on amassing a two-thirds majority that would be needed to overcome a veto from Gov. Mitt Romney, who says he is no longer open to expanded gaming.
      The debate is coming down to one question. Who has the votes? Bosley last year said he believed the votes were there in the House to defeat the slots bill. The Senate passed the slots bill back in October of 2005.
      “Nobody has polled the members of the House” said Bosley. However, he has spoken with many members of the House and says he feels pretty comfortable they will be able to defeat the bill.