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It seems to have dawned on Boston’s leadership that when the casino licenses are awarded by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, the state capital and most populous community will be left out in the cold.
That wasn’t the intention of legislation authorizing three casinos and one slots facility. One license was expected to end up in Boston proper. Early on, the leading applicant, Suffolk Downs with partner Caesars Entertainment Corp. (CZR) had the strong support of popular mayor Tom Menino.
Then that plan began to fall apart.
First, it was the failure of Caesars to receive suitability support from Commission investigators. That was followed by the voters in East Boston, where the racetrack is located, rejecting the proposal.
Since Suffolk Downs’ huge real estate holdings included a portion in the adjoining City of Revere, an effort was made to transfer its license application to that community. But, that is not Boston.
Also, popular gaming tycoon Steve Wynn proposed a $1.4 billion casino complex in the nearby City of Everett. Some have suggested he was encouraged by folks close to the commission. But, again, that is not Boston.
Last week, the Boston Globe newspaper got into the picture with an editorial demanding that because of the locations of both Revere and Everett, sitting on Boston’s doorstep, Boston “Mayor Martin Walsh is right to fight for as much influence as possible over the (casino) plans.”
The Globe said Mayor Walsh had been “dealt a tricky hand” and has been dealing with it but he should have a Plan B to fall back on if his efforts fail.

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The Senate is again considering legislation to legalize casino gambling in New Hampshire.
The Ways and Means Committee is holding a public hearing Tuesday on a bill sponsored by Sen. Lou D’Allesandro, a Manchester Democrat who sponsored a casino bill last year that passed the Senate and died in the House.
D’Allesandro’s new bill would allow the state to issue two casino licenses – unlike last year’s measure which only allowed one license to be issued. Gov. Maggie Hassan supported last year’s bill and says she only supports one casino in the state.
The House also is considering casino bills, including one stemming from a special commission charged with developing casino regulations. The House has repeatedly rejected casinos and those on both sides are focusing efforts on the chamber.

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And the morale of the story was simple: If you want to dispose of counterfeit chips, don’t try to chug them down a toilet drain.
That, according to state investigators, is what Christian Lusardi of Fayetteville, North Casino, attempted to do when Borgata Casino officials found that someone had introduced counterfeit chips into a poker tournament.
Lusardi was arrested Friday at a motel in Atlantic City on charges including theft and rigging a public contest, according to a report by the AP’s Wayne Parry.
The allegations followed a revelation by poker tournament officials that some 160 of the counterfeit poker chips, with a tournament value of $5,000 and totaling $800,000, were found among the genuine casino chips.
State officials from the Division of Gaming Enforcement temporarily froze the tournament’s prize money and canceled the event.
The Borgata’s senior vice president Joe Lupo said the first indication that anything was amiss came when his casino received a call from Harrah’s Casino nearby in the city’s Marina District. A chip examination followed, as did an immediate cancellation of the tournament.
New Jersey State Police Trooper Jeffrey Flynn told the Associated Press that it appeared that the counterfeit chips were slipped into tournament play on multiple occasions. Also, it was determined that Lusardi had son $6,814 during the tournament.
The suspect was jailed awaiting payment of $300,000 bail money.

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With Pennsylvania, like so many other states, looking to plug holes in the current state budget, some lawmakers are eyeing the possibility of legalizing online gaming, just as it has been done in the nearby states of New Jersey and Delaware.
It was expected the Senate Finance Committee will hear testimony this week on the possibility of introducing keno to the Pennsylvania Lottery’s gaming menu. The issue, thus far, has failed to generate much controversy. However, going beyond, especially into the area of online gambling, would probably bring out the naysayers, say officials.
A report on Internet gambling, being prepared by a legislative committee is expected to be returned by May 1.

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Online gambling in the Commonwealth of Delaware was never expected to be a major revenue producer and the results of the first two months have shown that to be true.
In spades.
The state gaming officials reported that for the months of November and December Internet gambling revenue was a mere $253,000, indicating it will be far short of the projected $5 million that was expected over a full-year basis.
According to the Internet gambling law, the state collects the first $3.75 million of online revenue in any given year. Thus, the three casinos have not yet received a dime of the proceeds.
“It’s still early,” cried Lottery officials responsible for monitoring the online activity.
“In and of itself, it’s not going to be the thing that solves everybody’s financial issues,” said lottery Director Vernon Kirk. “It’s a piece of the puzzle, and it’s got a lot of potential.”

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The news was bad on two fronts last week for the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, operators of the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut.
First, the tribe announced it would not appeal an Appeals Court ruling that upheld the state government’s authority to collect property taxes on slot machines.
Then, the officials of Local 2121 of the United Auto Workers announced Foxwoods Resorts executives had informed the union they planned to cut 120 full-time dealers and five assistant floor supervisors.
Casino management would not discuss the layoff, saying instead it was company policy not to discuss matters involving employees.
But, the union did not express any surprise since it has been well-established that the recession, and an explosion of additional gaming facilities along the East Coast, had caused substantial declines in tribal casino revenues.
Union President Billy Shea said volunteers will be sought to accept the layoffs, which, management said, must be completed by March 1.
As for the tax case, a tribal statement charged that state taxes on gambling machines “are an affront to the tribe’s sovereign authority over its territory.”
Foxwoods, and the nearby Mohegan Sun casino, agreed in negotiations with the state to pay 25 percent of its slots revenue in state taxes, provided the state guaranteed the two tribal casinos exclusive right to operate such gaming devices.
At the time, there was no talk of whether the machines would also be taxed.
When the matter was first litigated, a lower court judge ruled in favor of the tribe. That ruling was overturned last July by the 2nd U.S. Court of Appeals that noted a ruling favorable to the tribe would have invited other non-Indian owners of personal property on the reservation to bring similar lawsuits, costing the town of Ledyard hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in litigation costs.
At the time, the tribe indicated it would take the matter up to the U.S. Supreme Court. That idea ended with last week’s announcement.

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