According to Steve LeBlanc writing for the AP, the casino industry “hired a small army of lobbyists” who steadily made the argument for expanded gambling. A review by the AP of state lobbying records, in just the past five years, the gambling total reach $11.4 million. Since 2007, the total gambling lobbying jumped from $1.3 million to $3.1 million in 2011. The highest roller was Sterling Suffolk Racecourse, which runs the Suffolk Downs racetrack in East Boston, who spent more than $2.8 million on lobbying since 2007.
LeBlanc also writes that there “was plenty of out-of-state lobbying money flowing into Massachusetts,” including more than $863,000 over just the last three years from Development Associates, LLC, a Las Vegas-based subsidiary of casino and hotel developer Steve Wynn. Las Vegas Sands Corporation spent nearly $473,000 during the same period.
Source: Associated Press (Boston.com)
