Voters in Massachusetts rejected a question repealing a 2011 law that will bring three regional resort casinos and a slots parlor to the state.

Over the past few months, all eyes were on Massachusetts as local voters prepared for a referendum to repeal local gambling laws, which brought casino games and slot parlors to the state back in 2011. Newspapers said the vote would be “historic”, as it could have opened the door for a series of similar reactions, in other states with legal gambling.

Opponents argued that three casinos and a slots parlor would create thousands of jobs, boost the local economy and increase tax revenue. On the other hand, supporters of the repeal doubted that gambling companies would deliver their promises, but were convinced that allowing casinos would lead to more crime, addiction and other social ills.

Now that the referendum is over, casino developers got the green light to continue their projects. A slots parlor is already being built in Plainville, while MGM Resorts has planned a casino in Springfield and Wynn Resorts will build one in Everett.

Reuters: Law clearing way for Massachusetts casinos survives repeal vote

In a referendum held this Tuesday, Massachusetts voters upheld the 2011 law which allowed legal casino gambling in the state by voting down a referendum which aimed to repeal those regulations.

The battle was fought between anti-gambling activists, who argued that casinos would cause harm by increasing the number of problem gamblers. Crimes rates would also go up, they added, and the bad would outweigh the benefits of having new job openings.

On the other hand, pro-casino activists pointed out that neighboring Connecticut was already home to several large casinos, where Massachusetts gamblers play. Seeing how they spend their money there anyway, opening casinos in the state would mean all profits stay in Massachusetts, where they eventually return to the local community.

The state’s gaming commission has already handed out two of the three available casino licenses. One went to MGM Resorts International for a gambling venue in Springfield, and the other one was won by Wynn Resorts for a casino just outside Boston. The regulating body will soon rule on a third license, giving permission for a casino in the Cape Cod beach resort area.

Penn National Gaming hold the fourth license, but this one is for a slot machines-only facility on the Rhode Island border.

Boston.com: Mass. Voters Reject Casino Repeal; Expanded Gambling Will Stand

Casinos should still be allowed in Massachusetts, voters decided this week. The result was called by The Associated Press shortly before 10:20 p.m., when the counted ballots showed a 59.5% to 40.5% lead in favor of gambling in the state.

MGM’s Springfield proposal and Wynn Resort’s Everett plans were approved earlier this year. The gambling commission held off on the third license due to the referendum. The two casino developers will now have to pay an $85 million licensing fee, officially receive their licenses, and start building the venues.

Penn National Gaming had already received its license for the slot parlor, and then began construction without even slowing down when news got out that the law could be repealed. The venue is scheduled to open in mid-2015.

Once the venues open, state authorities get 49% of gambling revenues from the slots parlor and 25% of whatever profits casinos make. The third license has been delayed until next summer, but with the ballot issue now settled, the state regulator will probably pick off where it left and award it sooner.

The repeal was surrounded by controversy over the past few months, with anti-casino campaigners claiming the other side was trying to manipulate voters. But recent polls consistently showed locals did not plan to repeal the law.

Mass Live: Wording of ballot question repealing Massachusetts casino law could prove confusing in November

On the referendum held in Massachusetts in November, “no” means “yes” and “yes means “no”. Some fear the ballot question could confuse voters and cause them to approve the exact opposite of what they really want.

After Secretary of State William Galvin’s office released the official wording of the question regarding casino gambling in Massachusetts, campaigners noticed that a “no” vote would actually approve of the law which will bring three resort-style casinos to the state.

According to online gambling news, anti-casino activists first voiced their complaints in 2011, shortly after Gov. Deval Patrick signed the new gambling bill into law. But it wasn’t until 2013 that they managed to collect enough signatures to support their efforts with a ballot proposal.

Now the referendum is over and casino developers received the green light to start building their projects.

Voters in Massachusetts rejected a question repealing a 2011 law that will bring three regional resort casinos and a slots parlor to the state.

Over the past few months, all eyes were on Massachusetts as local voters prepared for a referendum to repeal local gambling laws, which brought casino games and slot parlors to the state back in 2011. Newspapers said the vote would be “historic”, as it could have opened the door for a series of similar reactions, in other states with legal gambling.

Opponents argued that three casinos and a slots parlor would create thousands of jobs, boost the local economy and increase tax revenue. On the other hand, supporters of the repeal doubted that gambling companies would deliver their promises, but were convinced that allowing casinos would lead to more crime, addiction and other social ills.

Now that the referendum is over, casino developers got the green light to continue their projects. A slots parlor is already being built in Plainville, while MGM Resorts has planned a casino in Springfield and Wynn Resorts will build one in Everett.

Reuters: Law clearing way for Massachusetts casinos survives repeal vote

In a referendum held this Tuesday, Massachusetts voters upheld the 2011 law which allowed legal casino gambling in the state by voting down a referendum which aimed to repeal those regulations.

The battle was fought between anti-gambling activists, who argued that casinos would cause harm by increasing the number of problem gamblers. Crimes rates would also go up, they added, and the bad would outweigh the benefits of having new job openings.

On the other hand, pro-casino activists pointed out that neighboring Connecticut was already home to several large casinos, where Massachusetts gamblers play. Seeing how they spend their money there anyway, opening casinos in the state would mean all profits stay in Massachusetts, where they eventually return to the local community.

The state’s gaming commission has already handed out two of the three available casino licenses. One went to MGM Resorts International for a gambling venue in Springfield, and the other one was won by Wynn Resorts for a casino just outside Boston. The regulating body will soon rule on a third license, giving permission for a casino in the Cape Cod beach resort area.

Penn National Gaming hold the fourth license, but this one is for a slot machines-only facility on the Rhode Island border.

Boston.com: Mass. Voters Reject Casino Repeal; Expanded Gambling Will Stand

Casinos should still be allowed in Massachusetts, voters decided this week. The result was called by The Associated Press shortly before 10:20 p.m., when the counted ballots showed a 59.5% to 40.5% lead in favor of gambling in the state.

MGM’s Springfield proposal and Wynn Resort’s Everett plans were approved earlier this year. The gambling commission held off on the third license due to the referendum. The two casino developers will now have to pay an $85 million licensing fee, officially receive their licenses, and start building the venues.

Penn National Gaming had already received its license for the slot parlor, and then began construction without even slowing down when news got out that the law could be repealed. The venue is scheduled to open in mid-2015.

Once the venues open, state authorities get 49% of gambling revenues from the slots parlor and 25% of whatever profits casinos make. The third license has been delayed until next summer, but with the ballot issue now settled, the state regulator will probably pick off where it left and award it sooner.

The repeal was surrounded by controversy over the past few months, with anti-casino campaigners claiming the other side was trying to manipulate voters. But recent polls consistently showed locals did not plan to repeal the law.

Mass Live: Wording of ballot question repealing Massachusetts casino law could prove confusing in November

On the referendum held in Massachusetts in November, “no” means “yes” and “yes means “no”. Some fear the ballot question could confuse voters and cause them to approve the exact opposite of what they really want.

After Secretary of State William Galvin’s office released the official wording of the question regarding casino gambling in Massachusetts, campaigners noticed that a “no” vote would actually approve of the law which will bring three resort-style casinos to the state.

According to online gambling news, anti-casino activists first voiced their complaints in 2011, shortly after Gov. Deval Patrick signed the new gambling bill into law. But it wasn’t until 2013 that they managed to collect enough signatures to support their efforts with a ballot proposal.

Now the referendum is over and casino developers received the green light to start building their projects.

Over the past few years, economists and analysts have warned about the “casino saturation” in the north-eastern part of the US. Now authorities and business owners are witnessing the disaster and there’s nothing they can do about it.

With growing competition from other states in the area, New Jersey’s Atlantic City is in a desperate financial situation. There is no way out this time. The only thing left to do is to accept the defeat and close the resort’s unprofitable casinos, one by one. Otherwise, authorities are considering rebranding the city and turning it into a destination that offers visitors more than just casino games.

Let’s take a closer look at what recent gambling news have to say on the subject.

Philly.com: With casinos closing, Atlantic City considers future

About 2,100 employees received 60-day notices the next day, after Caesars Entertainment announced it was closing its Mardi Gras-themed casino, Showboat, by the end of this summer. The bad news comes only a few months after the Atlantic Club also went out of business and Revel is also likely to shutter if its owner doesn’t find a new buyer.

“Atlantic City is undergoing a massive economic transition,” Mayor Don Guardian said at a news conference Friday held at the site where a new nongaming attraction is being built. “We know it is painful for those who are losing their casino jobs.”

Liza Cartmell, chief executive officer of the nonprofit Atlantic City Alliance, told reporters: “Recent developments in Atlantic City are part of the larger picture of excess gaming across the United States that’s leading to painful economic decisions.”

There are simply too many casinos in the country, industry experts say. Over the past ten years, 26 gambling venues opened in the Northeast corridor alone; a dozen of them are located in Pennsylvania and a new one is scheduled to open in Baltimore later in August. The development of the casino industry in the area has put an end to the monopoly enjoyed by Atlantic City for nearly three decades.

ABC News: Atlantic City Casino Shutdown Needed, Analysts Say

The number of casinos in Atlantic City could go down from 12 to 9 by Labor Day, as analysts say the resort has too many gambling venues.

“We know that the oversupply of gaming product is a regional issue, as we’re seeing the effects of the pressure all around Atlantic City,” says Israel Posner, executive director of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism at Stockton College.

Atlantic City is going through a rough patch and Mayor Don Guardian believes a makeover will be difficult, but necessary. Officials say the time has come for the city transform itself and become a multi-faceted destination, where casino games are just one of the many entertainment options available.

“Although it is sad today, it’s part of the transition that Atlantic City needs to have,” the mayor told reporters. “There is pain as we go through this transition, but it’s critical for Atlantic City to realize we are no longer the monopoly of gaming on the East Coast. If you build more and more casinos and don’t increase the amount of people coming to them, you’re sharing that wealth. We’re just going through a very difficult time.”

Boston Globe: Atlantic City sees our folly of casinos

The US Supreme Court struck down New Jersey’s attempt to legalize sports betting and Atlantic City casinos are going out of business, despite Governor Chris Christie pumping $260 million of his constituents’ money into one of the local casinos.

While Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods are considered interlopers who steal customers from the New Jersey resort, the story published in the Boston Globe says all players are “suckers, willing to part with their money for the house, because the house always wins.”

Locals worry about Massachusetts casinos stealing even more business. The market is already oversaturated, they say, and Atlantic City is already competing with Vegas, Connecticut and Philadelphia.

The Guardian: Atlantic City shutters casinos as north-east US builds gambling market

It’s becoming more and more obvious that there are too many casinos in Atlantic City. Competition has caused the Atlantic Club to close its doors, Revel says it will do the same unless owners find a new buyer and Caesars Entertainment is giving up on the Showboat.

During his five years in office, Mayor Don Guardian saw a quarter of the city’s casinos close. He believes this is a sign that Atlantic City needs a makeover, from a popular gambling resort to a multi-faceted destination instead.

Over the past seven years, casino revenue in the city has plunged from $5.2 billion to almost half that amount, reaching just $2.86 billion in 2013. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania surpassed Atlantic City as the country’s second largest casino market after Nevada. And with New Jersey’s new laws allowing locals to play casino games and online poker tournaments, profits soared even more.

All this sounds like bad news, but Fitch Ratings has a different opinion, claiming that “the closure makes financial sense for Caesars and is a positive for the oversupplied Atlantic City market.” According to the expert, Caesars will regain lost customers at its other resorts in the area.

CityLab: Atlantic City Is Becoming the Detroit of Casino Culture

At the beginning of the year, when the media argued that Atlantic City could be going the way of Detroit – which suffered a big shock after being forced to shut down gambling venues – State Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Chris Christie both promised they would not let the city “become Detroit”. Now, the resort is facing a wave of casino closings.

Former casino workers are furious over losing their jobs and Bob McDevitt, president of Local 54 of the Unite-HERE union, told reporters that Caesars’ decision to shut down the Showboat was “a criminal act”, as the venue was still making profit.

To help former employees find new positions within the company, Caesars promised to give them preference for existing roles at the company’s other three Atlantic City venues.

Over the past few years, economists and analysts have warned about the “casino saturation” in the north-eastern part of the US. Now authorities and business owners are witnessing the disaster and there’s nothing they can do about it.

With growing competition from other states in the area, New Jersey’s Atlantic City is in a desperate financial situation. There is no way out this time. The only thing left to do is to accept the defeat and close the resort’s unprofitable casinos, one by one. Otherwise, authorities are considering rebranding the city and turning it into a destination that offers visitors more than just casino games.

Let’s take a closer look at what recent gambling news have to say on the subject.

Philly.com: With casinos closing, Atlantic City considers future

About 2,100 employees received 60-day notices the next day, after Caesars Entertainment announced it was closing its Mardi Gras-themed casino, Showboat, by the end of this summer. The bad news comes only a few months after the Atlantic Club also went out of business and Revel is also likely to shutter if its owner doesn’t find a new buyer.

“Atlantic City is undergoing a massive economic transition,” Mayor Don Guardian said at a news conference Friday held at the site where a new nongaming attraction is being built. “We know it is painful for those who are losing their casino jobs.”

Liza Cartmell, chief executive officer of the nonprofit Atlantic City Alliance, told reporters: “Recent developments in Atlantic City are part of the larger picture of excess gaming across the United States that’s leading to painful economic decisions.”

There are simply too many casinos in the country, industry experts say. Over the past ten years, 26 gambling venues opened in the Northeast corridor alone; a dozen of them are located in Pennsylvania and a new one is scheduled to open in Baltimore later in August. The development of the casino industry in the area has put an end to the monopoly enjoyed by Atlantic City for nearly three decades.

ABC News: Atlantic City Casino Shutdown Needed, Analysts Say

The number of casinos in Atlantic City could go down from 12 to 9 by Labor Day, as analysts say the resort has too many gambling venues.

“We know that the oversupply of gaming product is a regional issue, as we’re seeing the effects of the pressure all around Atlantic City,” says Israel Posner, executive director of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism at Stockton College.

Atlantic City is going through a rough patch and Mayor Don Guardian believes a makeover will be difficult, but necessary. Officials say the time has come for the city transform itself and become a multi-faceted destination, where casino games are just one of the many entertainment options available.

“Although it is sad today, it’s part of the transition that Atlantic City needs to have,” the mayor told reporters. “There is pain as we go through this transition, but it’s critical for Atlantic City to realize we are no longer the monopoly of gaming on the East Coast. If you build more and more casinos and don’t increase the amount of people coming to them, you’re sharing that wealth. We’re just going through a very difficult time.”

Boston Globe: Atlantic City sees our folly of casinos

The US Supreme Court struck down New Jersey’s attempt to legalize sports betting and Atlantic City casinos are going out of business, despite Governor Chris Christie pumping $260 million of his constituents’ money into one of the local casinos.

While Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods are considered interlopers who steal customers from the New Jersey resort, the story published in the Boston Globe says all players are “suckers, willing to part with their money for the house, because the house always wins.”

Locals worry about Massachusetts casinos stealing even more business. The market is already oversaturated, they say, and Atlantic City is already competing with Vegas, Connecticut and Philadelphia.

The Guardian: Atlantic City shutters casinos as north-east US builds gambling market

It’s becoming more and more obvious that there are too many casinos in Atlantic City. Competition has caused the Atlantic Club to close its doors, Revel says it will do the same unless owners find a new buyer and Caesars Entertainment is giving up on the Showboat.

During his five years in office, Mayor Don Guardian saw a quarter of the city’s casinos close. He believes this is a sign that Atlantic City needs a makeover, from a popular gambling resort to a multi-faceted destination instead.

Over the past seven years, casino revenue in the city has plunged from $5.2 billion to almost half that amount, reaching just $2.86 billion in 2013. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania surpassed Atlantic City as the country’s second largest casino market after Nevada. And with New Jersey’s new laws allowing locals to play casino games and online poker tournaments, profits soared even more.

All this sounds like bad news, but Fitch Ratings has a different opinion, claiming that “the closure makes financial sense for Caesars and is a positive for the oversupplied Atlantic City market.” According to the expert, Caesars will regain lost customers at its other resorts in the area.

CityLab: Atlantic City Is Becoming the Detroit of Casino Culture

At the beginning of the year, when the media argued that Atlantic City could be going the way of Detroit – which suffered a big shock after being forced to shut down gambling venues – State Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Chris Christie both promised they would not let the city “become Detroit”. Now, the resort is facing a wave of casino closings.

Former casino workers are furious over losing their jobs and Bob McDevitt, president of Local 54 of the Unite-HERE union, told reporters that Caesars’ decision to shut down the Showboat was “a criminal act”, as the venue was still making profit.

To help former employees find new positions within the company, Caesars promised to give them preference for existing roles at the company’s other three Atlantic City venues.