Gambling opponents in just abandon casino bill

With tensions increasing in the Legislature as the House and Senate try to forge a compromise gambling growth bill in the final days of the session, anti-gambling activist today called on lawmakers to throw away the legislation altogether so other priority can get some attention.

"We all know other, significant priorities are being held up and are in risk because of this greed and power-driven casino ego contest," Kathleen Conley Norbut, president of United to end slot in Massachusetts, said in a statement.

The Senate and Governor Deval Patrick would like to bring resort casinos to the state, while House Speaker Robert DeLeo needs to authorize both casinos and slot machines at the state four racetracks. Despite gambling critic concern, gambling bills have passed both the House and Senate and a conference board is now trying to reach a compromise that may possibly be sent to the governor's desk.

The Globe reports today that the House report an impasse Wednesday night, while a lead Senate delegate said his side was still taking into account a compromise proposal by the House to consent to three casinos and license two of the state tracks as slot parlors.

Former Attorney General Scott Hershberger said in a statement issue by the United to Stop Slots group that people would much slightly see health care costs and economic development addressed.

"Those and other bills are far more significant than the special interest bonanza for casino investor, which will only damage our state," he said.

"We hope legislators stay paying attention on producing bills that will in fact help small business, grow our economy in a significant way and bring in continued revenue without smarting the most vulnerable," he said.