Keller @ Large: Missed The Boat On Casinos?

BOSTON (CBS) - The Massachusetts Gaming Commission meets Thursday for what could be yet another milestone in our beloved state's epic struggle to squander both the political support for casino gambling and the potential for major economic benefit from it.

An array of high-priced legal talent and the commissioners will be bickering over who is a host community, an issue we thought was settled by passage of the original casino law.

It's been two-and-a-half years since that happened, and the only people making any money off them to date are the lawyers and the lunch joints around the convention center.

Listen to Jon's commentary:

But hey, in Massachusetts, we're all about getting it right, as the bureaucrats keep reminding us.

But are they getting it right on casinos?

As things stand now, the absolute earliest you might see a casino open here is late 2016, at best. But guess what?

While we're squabbling and wallowing in self-doubt, Rhode Island has table games and is building up a steady following for them. New Hampshire almost approved casinos this week, and will surely be revisiting the issue soon – bet it won't take them four years to get it rolling if they do go ahead.

And the evidence continues to pile up that the casino pie is shrinking. Slots revenue at the Connecticut casinos is way off; Missouri, Indiana and New Jersey are slumping too.

We may have already missed the boat, which the voters might sink anyway if they get to vote on casino repeal this fall.

Oh well.

As long as we wind up getting it right.

You can listen to Keller At Large on WBZ News Radio every weekday at 7:55 a.m. You can also watch Jon on WBZ-TV News.

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