Business & Tech

Most Bay Staters Want Casinos - But Not in Their Community

A new survey from Western New England University confirmed what you might expect — people want casinos. They just don't want to live next to them.

By Chris Helms

As communities around the state grapple with whether to approve casinos, a new survey shows NIMBY sentiment is high.

Western New England University poll found that, on one hand, 61 percent of Massachusetts adults favor casinos coming to the state. But on the other hand, 55 percent of that same group don't want casinos in their own community.

Casinos have been in the news a lot recently. East Boston voters rejected a casino while Revere residents welcomed one. And last week the Wampanoag Tribe of Aquinnah announced it has the federal go-ahead for a casino on Martha's Vineyard. Milford residents on Tuesday overwhelmingly rejected a resort casino pursued by Foxwoods Massachusetts.

The university's survey has interesting wrinkles — like the discovery that women are more opposed to having casinos in their communities than men. Here's the whole survey if you'd like to know more.


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