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A Massachusetts anti-gambling group is trying to put numbers behind a message it says lawmakers should not ignore: voters are not comfortable with online casino-style gambling.
Stop Internet Gambling in Massachusetts (SIGMA) has published results from a survey it commissioned with Emerson College Polling, claiming 56% of Massachusetts residents oppose legalising online gambling. The group says opposition is even stronger among older voters, reporting 77% of respondents aged 60 or older were against iGaming.
House Bill 332 and Senate Bill 235 in response to iGaming legislation
The survey was released while Massachusetts lawmakers review proposals to authorise mobile casino-style gaming under state regulation. House Bill 332 and Senate Bill 235 are under consideration, with supporters saying legalisation would allow the state to regulate and tax gambling activity currently occurring outside the licensed market.
SIGMA’s argument is that iGaming is a different kind of expansion than what Massachusetts already allows. Founder David Nangle said online casino products effectively place a “full casino on every cell phone,” available 24/7, and warned it could be more addictive than other legal forms of gambling in the state.
Increasing public concerns and skepticism around regulation
The survey highlights public concern around underage access, the risk of higher addiction rates, and skepticism that safeguards would be strong enough to prevent harm and fraud. It also suggests many respondents do not believe the extra tax revenue would justify the trade-offs, with some describing the potential for a broader public health impact.
No clear state response to the survey, as bills still stands
Where the bills go from here will depend on whether lawmakers think they can sell the public on regulations that are tougher than what voters assume will happen. The pressure points are likely to be age and identity verification, limits on the most addictive product features, marketing controls, and whether the state’s regulatory capacity can keep pace with a 24/7 mobile market.
For now, SIGMA has handed iGaming opponents a simple headline figure to use in hearings: the group’s commissioned poll says a majority of Massachusetts residents are against legalising online casino gambling.
Source: PR Newswire
