In February, the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe proposed a plan to build a casino on land they own in Marlboro, Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick and his office immediately began to develop a response to the possible introduction of legal casino gambling in the state. On Tuesday, Gov. Patrick met with a group of 100 citizens of the commonwealth for a panel discussion about his proposal to allow casino gambling back into the state after a 50-year absence. Patrick has proposed allowing resort-style casinos in certain areas of the state - including Boston. In this installment of "By the Numbers," the Daily examines the hard facts about gambling in Massachusetts.
1931 Year Massachusetts decriminalized Bingo to allow churches and charities to raise money1950 Year Massachusetts voters decided to outlaw casino gambling in response to organized crime problems
20,000 Number of jobs Patrick believes will be created if casino projects are completed
$400 million Annual revenue for the state if the casino projects go through, according to Patrick$600 million Patrick's estimate of state revenue from investors bidding on the casino licenses
$1 billion Amount Mass. residents currently spend in Conn. casinos and R.I. slot parlors
$1.5 billion Value per year of the "unpegged" Mass. gambling market, according to the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe
$3 billion Amount one casino developer, Sheldon Adelson, wants to spend on a casino, hotel and convention center in the Boston area
$950 million Amount that the Mass. state lottery gives to cities and towns each year, which some are concerned will disappear if casinos come to the state$831.76 Amount the average Somerville resident spends "gambling with the state" on lottery tickets per year, according to the Somerville Journal$46,315 Average income of a Somerville resident
$13,001,977 Amount of money residents of Somerville spend yearly on Keno gambling$40,451,175 Amount they spent on the Instant Game lottery game$584,366 Amount they spent on the Mass Cash lottery game$97,940 Amount they spent on the MegaBucks lottery game
27 Percent tax on casinos if they do come to Mass.27.5 Percent of gross revenue that casinos would be required to pay to a new "Public Health Trust Fund"2.5 Percent of gross revenue casinos would have to give to the "Community Mitigation Trust Fund," which would benefit the cities and towns in which the casinos locate
These numbers were compiled from The Boston Globe, The Providence Journal and the California Research Bureau of the California State Library.
-compiled by Arianne Baker
