Coakley’s proposed ban on home liens by casinos draws mixed reaction in Taunton

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Local reaction to a letter from Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley - urging the state gaming commission to disallow casinos from eventually employing property liens against in-debt gamblers - is mixed.

Coakley’s proposed ban on home liens by casinos draws mixed reaction in Taunton

TAUNTON — Local reaction to a letter from Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley — urging the state gaming commission to disallow casinos from eventually employing property liens against in-debt gamblers — has ranged from agreement to scorn.

In her letter, Coakley cited her concern about “lending practices” and “aggressive debt collection methods” employed by “several gaming operators.”

She made direct reference to a Boston Globe story that ran over the weekend, describing the practice of Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods casinos placing liens on homes of residents who have fallen into debt with both those Connecticut casinos.

Coakley said “a robust set of consumer protection regulations before these establishments begin operations” should be adopted by the commission.