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Casino gambling is one of those hot button issues, one that time and again divides Massachusetts voters into two distinct camps. You either think rolling out the poker tables will deal this beleaguered economy the royal flush that it needs or you think the whole thing is a foolish bet.
But it turns out that the middle ground – the people who say they’re undecided when they talk to the pollsters about this topic – is getting larger.
UMass-Dartmouth’s new casino poll that was released today shows that a slight majority of adult residents – 55 percent – support a bill that would allow up to three resort casinos to open in Massachusetts (the survey involved 1,200 Bay State residents). That’s nothing new: For the past several years, most polls showed a slight majority of Mass. voters in favor of casino gambling.
But here’s what’s interesting about the new report: Only 23 percent are opposed to casinos, while 22 percent are undecided. That’s one of the largest ratios of undecided voters on this issue of any casino poll conducted in the state for the past five years, and one of the smallest percentages of opposed voters. Two years ago, 31 percent were opposed in a similar UMass-Dartmouth study at the time. Last year, that dropped to 25 percent. And this year, the number dropped again – although at a more moderate pace. Meanwhile, the undecideds in the UMass-Dartmouth surveys rose from 12 percent two years ago, to 17 percent last year, to 22 percent today.
The latest UMass-Dartmouth report was funded entirely by the university, although the school’s Center for Policy Analysis and director Clyde Barrow have accepted funding from industry types in the past to study this topic.
The contentious issue is likely to resurface at the State House again this year. But it’s not clear whether there’s still the same level of interest to match the momentum last year that carried a three-casino bill through the Legislature only to end up blocked by Gov. Deval Patrick (he opposes allowing slot machines at racetracks as well as the three resort casinos). Certainly, legislative leaders are wary about the impasse the battle over last year’s casino bill caused – and they seem prepared to put this topic on the back burner, at least until they deal with more pressing issues such as the state budget.
So a modest majority of voters still support a plan to allow up to three resort casinos in the state, and a shrinking minority is opposed.
Lawmakers certainly want to be able to take the pulse of their constituencies on this controversial topic. But they also know they’ve got a tougher question to tackle: Is there enough business to go around, or will resort casinos just cannibalize our existing Lottery, our hotels, concert venues and restaurants? Until they figure that one out, the minor swings in survey results probably aren’t going to make much of a difference in the issue’s fate on Beacon Hill.
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