Although the gambling industry in Massachusetts is said to be largely untapped, which makes the casino players choose the neighbouring states – New Jersey, Rhode Island and Connecticut, for the gambling activities, they would like to take part in, experts say that soon Massachusetts may become a major gaming hub that attracts people from all the other states.
A new casino is planned to be built in the Boston area but after all the setbacks, the Everett residents will have the final say. In two weeks they will have to give their “Yes” or “No” vote and decide whether they want a casino venue on the area or not.
Meanwhile, the gambling commission of the state is thinking about the most effective method for limiting the gambling activities and helping the Massachusetts residents avoid overspending. If implemented, the requirement for strictly keeping to one’s own limit will be the first successful attempt for helping the players gain control over their spendings and savings without creating the feeling of oppression. And the best of all is that if a player succeeds in sticking to the limit set, they will be rewarded for their ability to resist the temptation.
Judith Glynn, the expert who made the proposal, said that if this creative and unusual approach towards dealing with the gambling addiction problems is accepted, the residents will greatly benefit, not only in financial but also in social and health aspect. Players will be given the chance to play their favourite game while preventing overspending.
Needless to say, the service is absolutely optional but it is expected to gain considerable popularity among players of all ages.
However, there is another side of the coin. The Chairman of the Commission, Stephen Crosby, expressed his fears that if implemented, the program may have a negative effect on the local gambling industry because the players might prefer out of state venues where they won’t be restricted how long or how much to gamble.
According to James F. McHugh, the results of the program are likely to be “counterproductive”. Plus, Massachusetts might be considered to be “a nanny state”, which may have further negative impact on the local gambling sector.
The Commission authorities will discuss residents’ standpoints about the program, next week.
The Canadian gambling expert Judith Glynn was hired in order to help the local authorities carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of the program while keeping in mind all the important social and financial factors. The expert said that the main goal of the program is to help the players who gamble recklessly and then regret having spent their savings and made their families struggle for the rest of the month. She also added that in order to prevent such an unpleasant issue, the slot machine should have a limit set. Once this limit is reached, the player will be notified and the machine will either stop working or the player won’t be given loyalty points.
