Massachusetts officials worried about Rhode Island gambling competition

BOSTON – Like a battlefield general reviewing troop placement before a fight with a neighboring army, state Rep. Jeff Roy, D-Franklin, held up a map and walked other lawmakers through the details of a peaceful border skirmish: the competition between Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville and two Rhode Island casinos for southeastern Massachusetts’ precious gambling dollars.

The Plainville slots parlor has been a generous employer, a reliable economic development partner and a good neighbor, state and local officials from the southeastern region said. But because Massachusetts does not allow sports betting, the two Rhode Island casinos – Twin River in Lincoln and the Tiverton Casino Hotel – are the only places in New England to legally place sports bets.

“The blue line that you see here is the Massachusetts-Rhode Island border and here is Plainridge. Then, 10 miles is Twin River and 26 miles is Tiverton. ... Those were strategically placed to put those locations in direct competition with what’s happening at Plainridge,” Roy told the Economic Development and Emerging Technologies Committee on Wednesday. “It not only affects what’s going on at Plainridge but every other business in that area – restaurants, hotels. So we need to respond to what’s happening.”

State Reps. Betty Poirier, Shawn Dooley and Jay Barrows and municipal officials from Plainville and Mansfield joined Roy in testifying in favor of allowing Plainridge Park to accept bets on sporting events if the Legislature decides to legalize wagering.

Read more: https://www.patriotledger.com/news/20190531/mass-officials-worried-about-rhode-island-gambling-competition