Mass Gambling Expansion Update

by Sasha C. Russell, M.A., Program Specialist, Communications, The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling

 

 

 

On Tuesday, January 15th at 5 pm the deadline for the $400,000 Casino Application in Massachusetts closed. Eleven companies will be vying for one of three casino licenses or slots parlor license to be given out in February 2014.

In the Boston area region (Region A), there are 3 competitors: Suffolk Downs, Wynn MA and Crossroads Massachusetts. In Western Mass region (Region B) there are 4 competitors: MGM Springfield – with Foxwoods, Penn National, Mohegan Sun and Hard Rock. For the slots parlor license there are 2 competitors: Plainridge Racecourse and Raynham Park. Two companies that originally applied, but did not disclose their license type, had until this past Monday, February 18, 2013 to decide. Mass Gaming & Entertainment and PPE Casino Resorts put their bid in for a slots parlor license. As for the Southern Mass (Region C) area, the State and the Mashpee tribe have decided to discuss options on March 21^st. In the meantime, there has not been any further movement as laws and logistics are still being reviewed.  

Though the applications are in and currently being reviewed, the process is not as simple as the Mass Gaming Commission performing their background checks on the companies and select a winner, instead surrounding communities in the proposed area also have to vote and agree on the terms.

According to the Western Mass newspaper, The Republican, article “Massachusetts Gaming Commission moves to help communities deal with casinos” by Dan Ring, the Gaming Commission will contract a $40,000 project with the Edward J. Collins Jr. Center for Public Management at UMass Boston to help educate possible casino communities. Ring stated, “Under the project, the center would produce a report on items that should be included in agreements between communities and casino companies, reports on the lessons learned from casinos in communities in other states and a snapshot of the state's 2011 gambling law.”

Last week was the deadline for the Gaming Commission to accept public comments on what would actually define a “surrounding community” for the purpose of approval agreements with the possible casinos. Once that is figured out, communities can then propose ballot questions to open up further discussion on casino expansion.

In the meantime, the 15 community colleges across the state have started to make an investment in the casino expansion themselves. The colleges, working with several workforce development agencies, created the Massachusetts Casino Careers Training Institute. Currently all 15 colleges have signed job agreements with the 11 possible candidates for casino and slots parlor licenses. According to an article on WAMC (here), “The agreement commits the casino operators to work with the community colleges and regional employment boards towards the goal of filling casino jobs with local people who are unemployed, or underemployed.”

The Gaming Commission has also made a call for research proposals, which Salem State University replied. Their proposal said they would focus on “examining economic development opportunities, jobs, crime, transportation, problem gambling and a variety of community impacts.” (here)

The Gaming Commission seems to be taking a slow methodological approach, open to thorough research on the communities being affected and being sure to do extensive background checks on all applicants.  As noted in an article (here) on Masslive.com, the Gaming Commission is looking to award the licenses to those companies who will have the most impact over a longer period of time. So, for now, gambling expansion is a waiting game.

As updates occur, please keep an eye out on the Mass Council’s blog, facebook and twitter.  

 

Valentine's Day

 

by Maggie Mazza, Communications Intern, Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Valentine’s Day is equally the most hated and the most loved holiday that we celebrate. People associate Valentine’s Day mostly with being in a relationship, but it should be about much more than just that. Just like on Thanksgiving people only seem thankful for everything they have once a year; well we should be loved and feel loved more than once a year too.

I know that Valentine’s Day correlates to the relationship that you currently are in. But just take a look at your past relationships- and look at where you are today. You never would have been where you are today, if it wasn’t for what you had done in the past. So, leave the pieces on the floor and move on. Some things just aren’t meant to be put back together. Everything happens for a reason- in my opinion, and if I made mistakes in the past, that only means I will learn from them in the future. Relationships are just stepping-stones to becoming the best person you can be. Past break-ups and fights seemed like the end of the world- but can you even remember them today? We should never regret or get mad at ourselves for things that had happened in the past, we should take those mistakes and teach ourselves to not make them again in our present relationships. Whether you’re in a relationship with a loved one, friend, family or even just yourself- learn to appreciate. I think appreciation is something that lacks in relationships these days. We don’t say thank you enough, or we don’t remind ourselves how lucky we are. Appreciate what you have and who you have in your life.

Love yourself. Treat yourself with chocolate, or that item in the store you’ve had your eye on - remind yourself that you have everything, and things could always be worse. In the GA twelve steps to recovery, step 10 says, “Changing ‘Love of self’, a fantasy, to ‘Self-love’, a reality.” This simply means: don’t love yourself because of the clothes you wear and the money you have; love your personality and your soul. You are the only person that can make yourself be who you want to be, and you’re stuck with yourself for your whole life, so be the best you can be. Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be about someone else, so, make it a day about loving yourself. However, if you are in a happy, healthy relationship- appreciate it! Life is precious and we should appreciate all life has given to us.

Valentine’s Day is a good day for random acts of kindness. Hold the door for someone, let a pedestrian cross the street, buy the morning round of coffee, tell someone they are beautiful. Not only will this make someone else’s day, but it will make yours as well. Be kind to others, you never know what someone is going through from the outside. So, before you yell at the lady working at the coffee shop for making the wrong order, think about if they are having a bad day too.

A few years back, I heard a story on the radio about a day that turned into the biggest ‘random act of kindness day’. At a drive through coffee shop, the person paying for their coffee also said they wanted to pay for the person behind them, without knowing who they were. When that person arrived at the window, they had been informed that a random person had paid for their coffee. That person then paid for the person behind them, and this went on the entire day. This random act put a smile on my face and reminded me that there aren’t only bad things happening in the world, but wonderful kind things as well.  

 

All it takes is a simple thought to turn your day or someone else’s day around and spread love – especially on a day like Valentine’s Day.

Guest Blogger: Deborah Greenslit

This week’s blog is written by author Deborah Greenslit, licensed psychotherapist, LMHC, RN, who will introduce her new book and discuss the lessons she learned through her escape gambling problem at her upcoming presentation on Saturday, February 23rd at the Sturbridge Host Hotel.

I started writing my book several years ago. It was based on my areas of specialty that I nationally presented on for several years: How to Stay Motivated toward Life-Enhancing Choices and How Mindfulness and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Work Together.  

What I didn't know at the time was…all of the transformation that my personal life would encounter, bringing all of my intellectual understanding on these topics to a more emotional, human experience. It's one thing to grasp a concept and another to experience it. Nobody invites adversities and hard times into their lives, but often that is what it takes to see clearly into our inner being and to all of what really matters. We begin to strip away our defenses, egos, fears, reactions and live a more honest, real, humbled life. People have always told me that I was so real and genuine, but all my suffering and pain has brought that to a whole different level.

My book is in its final stages and expected to be published this spring. It is titled, Living with a Loving Heart: Lessons Learned on Suffering and Pain. Readers will come to understand that the only way through suffering, pain and difficult times is to turn towards the uncomfortableness with a non-judgmental gentleness along with compassion, understanding and empathy. Generally we try to run from our discomforts with all forms of escapisms and distractions. Our anxieties have a lot to teach us about ourselves if we pay attention. But if we treat it as a monster, we either run from it or want to fight it. That doesn't work. When we don't pay attention to our inner leaks, we end up with a gaping hole and living life aimlessly and always on the run.

The book talks about how to strengthen our relationship with ourselves so that we turn inward for guidance, support, encouragement, worth and love, and to other supports instead of trying to escape into all kinds of extrinsic distractions. Often people try to motivate change through a very authoritarian voice that is scolding and arouses shame. Giving that voice a big role only makes us feel worse about ourselves and makes us want to escape even more. Where did we ever get the notion that a good kick in the rear is all we need to jump start us into change? Again, shaming ourselves into change never works.

We are accountable for our choices but we need to understand that we didn't just wake up one morning and ask ourselves how we can mess up our lives or the lives of others. Often when people get into that space, they are in survival mode and not thriving. The turnaround is only through opening their hearts so they can begin to heal through compassion and understanding. When that happens, people begin to feel worthy again, no matter what their mistakes or frailties. We hear over and over again that our mistakes don't define us. But until we truly grasp that, it's difficult to feel of worth. The message in my book is that we don't have to work for worth or prove anything. When we are loving ourselves, we don't need to escape no matter what our challenges are. “There's No Shame In Our Pain!”

As far as the details of my presentation, it will be held at the Sturbridge Host Hotel, Feb. 23 from 1 to 3 pm with a meet and greet reception afterwards. Entrance fee is only $10.00. Walk in registration is available, but because space is limited, prior registration is encouraged. Please send contact information, number of people attending and entrance fee addressed to me to P.O. Box 172, Kennebunkport, ME 04046. I suggest they contact me in advance at 508-954-2090 or via email at paxton_counseling@hotmail.com to make sure seating is available. If I can answer any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Super Bowl: Tough For Some

by Sasha C. Russell, M.A., Program Specialist, The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, it’s that time of year again – Super Bowl Sunday! People across the nation are stocking up on food, buying new TVs, and, of course, placing their bets. If gambling had a designated holiday, Super Bowl Sunday would be it. “The Big Game” draws attention from not only people who already gamble, but from many people who wouldn’t think twice to gamble on a normal day. It’s nearly impossible to avoid it, which is why it is a high-risk day for many people who battle with problem gambling.

Every year, since I was younger, I have been asked if I want to “buy a square.” I have friends who advertise open squares on their facebook and it’s hard to avoid. Personally, I couldn’t even tell you what a square actually means – once when I took part in this I just picked a random square. Some people make a science out of it. According to a news article in San Diego Union-Tribune, by Nick Canepa, titled, “DOES SUPER BOWL OFFER PLETHORA OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR GAMBLERS? YOU BET” gambling on the Super Bowl includes much more than just betting on who wins. Canepa interviewed Pat Morrow, chief odds-maker for offshore Bovada.lv, who said that people will bet on how long it will take Alicia Keys to sing the National Anthem, as well as “Will Keys get booed? Will she omit/add one word to the anthem? Will Beyoncé be joined on stage by Jay Z during her halftime show? How many times will Jack Harbaugh be shown on TV during the game? Will any Ravens or 49ers be arrested this week? What color Gatorade (or liquid) will be dumped on the winning coach? Who will President Obama pick to win?”

These types of bets may seem like harmless fun, but they increase risk, not only for people who already gamble, but even for young children and teens. Marrow himself said he felt like a teenager when creating the odds for those bets. As mentioned in previous blogs (here and here), the younger someone is when he or she starts to gamble, the higher their risk of becoming a problem or compulsive gambler.

Due to the high-risk, Councils that work with problem gambling are on high alert and want everyone to know that help is out there. In the National Council on Problem Gambling’s recent press release (here), Executive Director Keith Whyte stated, “Many gambling addicts report substantial financial losses. The problem gambler may feel the only way to quickly get back that money is to gamble more and more, desperately chasing their losses. This can lead to a downward spiral of increasingly negative consequences. The longer you gamble the more likely you are to lose.”

The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling is offering a special event on Super Bowl Sunday. We will be hosting, along with the Recovery Advisory Board, our first Bet-Free Super Bowl Party* on Sunday, February 3^rd. This event is free and people and families in recovery are invited. The Super Bowl will be playing on the 6^th floor, while an open GA meeting will be happening on the 5^th floor. This is a day for people to get together in a safe place and enjoy a game of football.

As always, if you or someone you know may be experiencing problems with gambling, please know you are not alone. You can call our Helpline day or night, any day of the week: 800.426.1234.

 

 

 

*If you are interested in joining us, please RSVP to Karen Sicher by emailing or calling: 617.426.4554.