In the coming months the Massachusetts Gaming Commission will issue the Commonwealth’s very first casino license. The development of this new and soon to-be rapidly growing gaming economy in Massachusetts is set to create any number of challenging legal issues for all those involved. In the first of a series of newsletters following the development of Massachusetts casino gaming and its laws and regulations, AP&S is providing a primer on the current state of Massachusetts gaming and on what to expect in the coming months as the state gears up for its foray into legalized gaming.

General Background:

On Nov 22, 2011, Deval Patrick signed the Expanded Gaming Act into law. The act is largely codified at M.G.L. c. 23K, although it also had effects on several other statutes, including some criminal laws and tax laws, for example. The Expanded Gaming Act allows for the establishment of a maximum of four new casinos in the Commonwealth, and the four potential casinos are broken down into two categories:

Category 1 – Resort casinos

Category 2 – Slots only