{"id":19491,"date":"2014-03-15T17:30:59","date_gmt":"2014-03-15T17:30:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/?p=19491"},"modified":"2015-03-11T08:02:35","modified_gmt":"2015-03-11T15:02:35","slug":"rhode-island-faces-competition-from-impending-massachusetts-gaming","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/rhode-island-faces-competition-from-impending-massachusetts-gaming\/","title":{"rendered":"Rhode Island Faces Competition from Impending Massachusetts Gaming"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Twin\"
Lincoln, Rhode Island’s Twin River Casino is just one whose revenues could be affected by the upcoming opening of new properties across the border in Massachusetts (Image: WPRO File Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Gamblers and state officials in Massachusetts are starting to getting excited; after all, in the next few months, licenses will be awarded to up to three casino operators in different regions of the state to join the slots parlor in Plainville, and that\u2019s going to mean a lot of new revenue for the state. It also means that Massachusetts gamblers will be able to stay a lot closer to home when they want to visit a casino \u2013 great for them, but not so good for the state\u2019s neighbors who rely on gambling revenues as part of their state budgets.<\/p>\n

The most dramatic effect could be felt in the tiny state of Rhode Island, which directly borders Massachusetts to the southeast. Gambling is the third-largest revenue source for the Ocean State, with most coming from the Twin River<\/a> in Lincoln and the Newport Grand in Newport.<\/p>\n

Massachusetts Casinos Will Impact Rhode Island Revenues<\/h2>\n

Right now, those casinos are expected to bring in $394 million for the state in the current fiscal year, and another $400 million in 2014-15. But in the four years after the Massachusetts casinos begin opening \u2013 which many believe could happen as early as next year \u2013 the Rhode Island Office of Management and Budget estimates that the state could lose $422 million over a four-year period. That would start with a $48 million dip in 2015-16, which would increase to $144 million by the end of the four-year projection.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s an issue for the state, since they are already predicting budget shortfalls for those years. The loss of gambling revenue would only exacerbate that problem, leading to an estimated shortfall of $419 million for the 2018-19 fiscal year.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The issue only grew more apparent when the Penn National Gaming proposal in Plainville was chosen as the site of Massachusetts\u2019 lone slots parlor. That facility – which could be up and running before the end of this year – \u00a0is right on the border with Rhode Island, and perfectly located to attract what University of Massachusetts Dartmouth professor Clyde Barrow calls \u201cconvenience gamblers,\u201d who normally traveled to the Rhode Island casinos.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first objective was to capture convenience gamblers that were leaving Massachusetts and going to Twin River and Newport Grand,\u201d Barrow – who is an expert in the gaming industry – said.<\/p>\n

While casino operators in Rhode Island know this problem is coming and will work to combat it, there\u2019s only so much they \u2013 and the state \u2013 can do to protect their revenues.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve said all along that we can focus on the things that we can control,\u201d said Twin River Chairman John Taylor. \u201cWhile we want to be aware of what\u2019s happening over the border, we can\u2019t really have much impact on what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n

Online Gaming Still Aways Off<\/h2>\n

One potential avenue for increased gambling revenues is online gambling<\/a>. However, Rhode Island has yet to even test Internet gaming sites, and the state has yet to move beyond the exploratory stage in considering the idea.<\/p>\n

The state lottery believes that it could add online versions of games like keno and bingo, since it already offers such games offline. However, adding casino games or poker would require approval from Rhode Island\u2019s residents, since it would be an entirely new form of gambling.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wouldn\u2019t pursue it without statewide approval,\u201d said Rhode Island Lottery Director Gerald S. Aubin. \u201cTo venture into online poker and online gaming would take constitutional approval.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aubin also questioned whether offering lottery products online would simply cannibalize revenues from convenience stores and other vendors who currently sell their games, potentially causing more harm than the added revenue would be worth.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Gamblers and state officials in Massachusetts are starting to getting excited; after all, in the next few months, licenses will be awarded to up to three casino operators in different regions of the state to join the slots parlor in Plainville, and that\u2019s going to mean a lot of new revenue for the state. It […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":19503,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,18],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nRhode Island Faces Competition from Impending Massachusetts Gaming<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"With Massachusetts getting closer to opening its own land-based casinos, Rhode Island gaming grapples with the potential impact on their state coffers.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Rhode Island Faces Competition from Impending Massachusetts Gaming\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"With Massachusetts getting closer to opening its own land-based casinos, Rhode Island gaming grapples with the potential impact on their state coffers.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/rhode-island-faces-competition-from-impending-massachusetts-gaming\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Casino.org\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Casino.OrgNews\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2014-03-15T17:30:59+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2015-03-11T15:02:35+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/twinriv.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"300\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"168\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Casino.org Staff Writer\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Casino_Org\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Casino_Org\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Casino.org Staff Writer\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/rhode-island-faces-competition-from-impending-massachusetts-gaming\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/rhode-island-faces-competition-from-impending-massachusetts-gaming\/\",\"name\":\"Rhode Island Faces Competition from Impending Massachusetts Gaming\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/rhode-island-faces-competition-from-impending-massachusetts-gaming\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/rhode-island-faces-competition-from-impending-massachusetts-gaming\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/twinriv.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2014-03-15T17:30:59+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2015-03-11T15:02:35+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/8c48bf89dc86da77b4d856c7b3b78d77\"},\"description\":\"With Massachusetts getting closer to opening its own land-based casinos, Rhode Island gaming grapples with the potential impact on their state coffers.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/rhode-island-faces-competition-from-impending-massachusetts-gaming\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/rhode-island-faces-competition-from-impending-massachusetts-gaming\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/rhode-island-faces-competition-from-impending-massachusetts-gaming\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/twinriv.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/twinriv.jpg\",\"width\":300,\"height\":168,\"caption\":\"Lincoln, Rhode Island's Twin River Casino is just one who's revenues could be affected by the upcoming opening of new properties across the border in Massachusetts (Image: WPRO File Photo)\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/rhode-island-faces-competition-from-impending-massachusetts-gaming\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"News\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Commercial Gaming\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/commercial-gaming\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Live Casinos\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/commercial-gaming\/live-casinos\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"Rhode Island Faces Competition from Impending Massachusetts Gaming\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/\",\"name\":\"Casino.org\",\"description\":\"Latest Casino and Gaming News\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/8c48bf89dc86da77b4d856c7b3b78d77\",\"name\":\"Casino.org Staff Writer\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0853bd574da5b217483afb1fbbee33a5?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0853bd574da5b217483afb1fbbee33a5?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Casino.org Staff Writer\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/author\/corg-staff-writer\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Rhode Island Faces Competition from Impending Massachusetts Gaming","description":"With Massachusetts getting closer to opening its own land-based casinos, Rhode Island gaming grapples with the potential impact on their state coffers.","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"follow"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Rhode Island Faces Competition from Impending Massachusetts Gaming","og_description":"With Massachusetts getting closer to opening its own land-based casinos, Rhode Island gaming grapples with the potential impact on their state coffers.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/rhode-island-faces-competition-from-impending-massachusetts-gaming\/","og_site_name":"Casino.org","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Casino.OrgNews","article_published_time":"2014-03-15T17:30:59+00:00","article_modified_time":"2015-03-11T15:02:35+00:00","og_image":[{"width":300,"height":168,"url":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/twinriv.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Casino.org Staff Writer","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@Casino_Org","twitter_site":"@Casino_Org","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Casino.org Staff Writer","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/rhode-island-faces-competition-from-impending-massachusetts-gaming\/","url":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/rhode-island-faces-competition-from-impending-massachusetts-gaming\/","name":"Rhode Island Faces Competition from Impending Massachusetts Gaming","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/rhode-island-faces-competition-from-impending-massachusetts-gaming\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/rhode-island-faces-competition-from-impending-massachusetts-gaming\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/twinriv.jpg","datePublished":"2014-03-15T17:30:59+00:00","dateModified":"2015-03-11T15:02:35+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/8c48bf89dc86da77b4d856c7b3b78d77"},"description":"With Massachusetts getting closer to opening its own land-based casinos, Rhode Island gaming grapples with the potential impact on their state coffers.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/rhode-island-faces-competition-from-impending-massachusetts-gaming\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/rhode-island-faces-competition-from-impending-massachusetts-gaming\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/rhode-island-faces-competition-from-impending-massachusetts-gaming\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/twinriv.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/twinriv.jpg","width":300,"height":168,"caption":"Lincoln, Rhode Island's Twin River Casino is just one who's revenues could be affected by the upcoming opening of new properties across the border in Massachusetts (Image: WPRO File Photo)"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/rhode-island-faces-competition-from-impending-massachusetts-gaming\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Commercial Gaming","item":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/commercial-gaming\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Live Casinos","item":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/commercial-gaming\/live-casinos\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Rhode Island Faces Competition from Impending Massachusetts Gaming"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/","name":"Casino.org","description":"Latest Casino and Gaming News","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/8c48bf89dc86da77b4d856c7b3b78d77","name":"Casino.org Staff Writer","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0853bd574da5b217483afb1fbbee33a5?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0853bd574da5b217483afb1fbbee33a5?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Casino.org Staff Writer"},"url":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/author\/corg-staff-writer\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19491"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/42"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19491"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19491\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19503"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19491"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19491"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19491"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}