Massachusetts Slots Bill Abandoned

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Senate supporters of a proposal to bring casinos and video slot machines to Massachusetts are abandoning their efforts.

Massachusetts Senate Minority Leader Brian Lees says he is withdrawing the casino amendment from an economic stimulus package. Under Lees' original amendment, each of the state's four racetracks would have been able to install up to 1,500 video slot machines.

In addition, the amendment would have allowed two stand-alone casinos, one in Bristol County and one in either Hampden or Worcester counties.

The Republican from East Longmeadow concedes there isn't enough support for the measure, which he says would have raised hundreds of millions in revenues for the state.

Critics of the plan argued that the social and fiscal costs of casinos and slot machines outweighed the benefits.

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