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Public Hearings Set As Gambling Debate Returns To Beacon Hill

BOSTON (AP) -- The debate over legalizing casinos is gearing up again on Beacon Hill.

Massachusetts lawmakers are holding a public hearing Wednesday on more than a dozen gambling-related bills.

Supporters see a chance to push the reset button on a debate that has repeatedly stalled out -- including last year's failure by Gov. Deval Patrick and House Speaker Robert DeLeo to bridge differences over allowing slot machines at the state's racetracks.

Casino foes are hoping DeLeo and Patrick again come to loggerheads. They say casinos are bad news for the state and aren't worth the short-term infusion of revenue into Massachusetts coffers.

Patrick is also sounding increasingly ambivalent. He said that while he and DeLeo are talking, casinos are no longer one of his top priorities.

(© Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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