Tribal Casino in Massachusetts Rejected by Voters

The voters in Massachusetts rejected a proposal to create a $167 million casino resort in Rocky Woods, near the Route 140. It was the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head which applied for the gambling permit.

Under the American gambling laws, the Native American tribes can run casinos on their lands as the federal laws permit that. However, the states still have the ultimate veto power, especially if the local residents don’t agree.

Previously, the Tribe of Gay Head wanted to negotiate the licensing with the state governor, however, their request was refused. The governor claimed that the tribe gave up its gambling rights in a land agreement made in 1980s.

At this point, the Gay Heads are threatening to take the issue to the federal courts. A the same time, anti-casino activists claim that allowing the casino to be build will result in more traffic and crime. Proponents, on the other hand, state that allowing for the casino to operate will stop large local tax hikes as the new source of revenue gets added.

Although many Native American tribes all over the country seek to build or expand new casinos, some tribes are worried about the upcoming legalization of American internet casinos, which are expected to eat into land-based casinos profits.

As a result, many land-based casinos are teaming up with online and mobile casino gambling software providers to have the Internet platforms ready in the case gamblers will start going online rather than visit casino resorts.

Some hope that the mix of both will be beneficial overall as legalization of online gambling in America is expected to profit local operators at the expense of offshore casino sites.