THE MASSACHUSETTS GAMING COMMISSION could allow casinos to sell liquor to gamblers an extra two hours – until 4 a.m. – under an outside section of the House Ways and Means budget proposal.
Current law bars liquor sales at casinos beyond 2 a.m., which matches existing state law. The House proposal would allow the Gaming Commission to extend last call for “patrons who are actively engaged in gambling” until 4 a.m., while prohibiting liquor sales between 4 a.m. and 8 a.m.
Christopher Bennett, a spokesman for the committee, which is headed by Rep. Brian Dempsey of Haverhill, said in a statement that the outside section was a response to the increasingly competitive gaming market in New England.
“The section was included in order to help maximize the potential of the gaming industry in Massachusetts,” Bennett said. “As we get nearer to the opening of the facilities and six years past the creation of the law, we need to take into account the changes in the marketplace, and ensure competitiveness. The language is not a directive, not specific to any licensee, and allows the commission to consider extending the hours.”
Michael Weaver, senior vice president of marketing and communications at Wynn Resorts, which is building a casino in Everett, said in a statement that the company welcomed the proposed change in the law.
“To maintain our commitment to the Commonwealth for job creation and taxes, we will need to attract tourists from across the country and around the globe,” Weaver said. “To do that, we must be allowed to meet widely held tourist expectations for a casino resort experience. Among those expectations is the option of enjoying a drink while they play in the casino. We will compete with resorts up and down the eastern seaboard and many of those resorts, such as Atlantic City and Maryland, offer 24-hour cocktail service. We believe extended cocktail service, in the highly controlled environment of the casino, is necessary to allow us to attract guests from our regional competitors and to meet international tourist expectations.”
Officials with Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville, which closes off bar service at 1 a.m., and MGM, which is building a casino in Springfield, said they had no advance knowledge of the budget provision. A spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission said the issue might be discussed at Thursday’s meeting.
Connecticut for years has toyed with the idea of extending the hours for alcohol consumption at its casinos, where last call is 1 a.m. on weekdays and 2 a.m. on weekends. Connecticut lawmakers, however, have never embraced a later last call because of concerns about drunken driving.
A local ordinance approved in early 2014 gave the Twin Rivers Casino in Lincoln, RI, the option to extend last call to 2 a.m., according to a news report. Company officials said they needed the change to remain competitive with Massachusetts casinos, which were under development at the time.
Other states that have legalized gambling have longer liquor-serving hours. Casinos in Atlantic City and in Pennsylvania can serve alcohol around the clock and New York casinos sell liquor until 4 a.m.
