Rep. Lewis Supports Gambling Bill

The state house approved a bill to allow casinos in Massachusetts Wednesday evening, thanks in part to the support of one Winchester representative.

The bill, which calls for licensing of three resort-style casinos and one slot parlor to Massachusetts overwhelmingly passed through the state House of Representatives Wednesday with a vote of 123-32.

Rep. Jason Lewis, D-Winchester, voted in favor of the bill.

"I supported the bill taken up by the House of Representatives this week because I believe that on balance the benefits to Massachusetts will outweigh the costs," Lewis said. "This is not a decision I took lightly, and I recognize that the costs will include an increase in gambling addiction and the serious social problems that accompany this illness."

According to Lewis, with state unemployment still over 7 percent, the House needs to capitlize on every opportunity to put residents back to work. The bill would also require the winning bidders to make a capital investment of $500 million.

"No other economic development opportunity offers this kind of private investment potential at a time when the capacity for investment of public taxpayer dollars is extremely limited," Lewis said. "It is estimated that this investment will create 7,000 new construction jobs, and another 7,000 permanent jobs once the casinos are up and running.

"The bill will also generate significant new revenue for the Commonwealth, including more than $200 million in up-front licensing fees and annual revenue of $200-400 million. A significant portion of this new revenue will go towards education and local aid, and will be in addition to the funds that our schools and communities already receive from the state.  Finding new ways to support public education is vital to the future of our communities."

The bill is expected to move to the Senate later this month.

"In the final analysis, whether each of us supports or opposes casinos, we have to concede that gambling is already a pervasive part of our culture," Lewis said. "Millions of Massachusetts residents play the lottery, bet on sporting events, play online poker, and travel to casinos in other states.  I believe the bill that passed the House of Representatives recognizes this reality, and will address the social costs of gambling while bringing new jobs and revenue to our state."