Massachusetts Gaming Commission Drafting Specific Rules For Poker Play At New CasinosRegulators Moving Closer To Figuring Out How To Oversee Industry |
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Massachusetts gaming regulators are hitting the phase of drafting the rules for casino games such as roulette, blackjack and poker, according to The Milford Daily News.
“It’s whether you want to set how blackjack is played in Massachusetts, or just have the casinos post rules so everyone knows how it’s played,” a gaming attorney said at a regulatory hearing on Friday. “That’s something the commission will have to wrap its arms around: which approach will work better here.”
Such decisions make up one of the final phases before the industry gets up and running. Licensing, obviously, is the biggest hurdle left for both regulators and casino firms.
There’s one lucrative casino license up for grabs in the Boston area among three competitors, including casino giant Wynn Resorts. MGM is also looking to build in a different part of the state and would need approval from state officials as well.
However, there may be a potential roadblock for billionaire Steve Wynn thanks to the possibility of the city of Boston itself trying to nix the deal Wynn has brokered with the neighboring town of Everett. Officials in Boston are trying to figure out if Wynn’s plan crosses any jurisdictional lines, making it a “host community.” Wynn denies such a possibility.
After licenses for the two casinos and one slot-only facility are awarded, regulators will be tasked with issuing just one more casino OK under a state law that passed in 2011.
The first casinos are reportedly likely to open in 2016, with the state reaping $100 million in fees, in addition to economic activity and new jobs for residents.
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