Southeastern Massachusetts Regional Casino Applications Released

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission released the first application for commercial casino bidders in southeastern Massachusetts, where the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe had been hoping to become the sole casino operator. The tribe’s second bid at a compact, negotiated with Governor Deval Patrick, has been pending for weeks before the Legislature without action and state gaming regulators have decided to open up the area to commercial bidders. Proponents of the idea of opening the region to commercial bids say they fear southeastern Massachusetts will be at a disadvantage compared to the state’s other two casino regions if the tribe’s pursuit of federal and state approvals takes too long. The commission announced the application is the first in a two-phase process. Applicants will have almost four months to complete the applications and pay a non-refundable $400,000 fee, with applications due by 5 p.m. on September 30.

Category: News/Updates