Casinos are not yet legal in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, but that didn’t stop Caesars Entertainment from signing a deal to bring a casino to Boston. The deal with racetrack Suffolk Downs is in place that would let Caesars run a casino if the state legislature legalizes casinos.
Right now there are several bills in the state legislature that would allow the state to license up to three casinos. If any of those pass, Caesars Entertainment is poised to take advantage of the new market. The company, which is based in Las Vegas, has signed a deal with the Suffolk Downs racetrack that would have Caesars manage a casino at the site should casinos be legalized. The planned business would be a $600 million gaming resort at a racetrack in east Boston.
State lawmakers have taken notice. A company as big as Caesars Entertainment wanting to do business in your state opens up a lot of revenue possibilities. Representative Joseph Wagner, who co-chairs the committee that would oversee any casinos, wants to review the bills and then hold public hearings on the matter. The first hearing is scheduled for May 4.
It is not known how much support there is in the state legislature for legalizing casinos. However, with a big name like Caesars now in the mix, people who were on the fence may move over to the side of the casinos, thinking that the state, which is in debt, can make a lot of much-needed money. Caesars Entertainment owns 51 casinos across the world, including in Las Vegas and Macau.
