Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Rallies at Massachusetts State House Over HHR ‘Slot’ Loophole

Rallying outside the Massachusetts State House on Thursday, Oct. 15, members of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe warned that proposed “slots in disguise” threaten the future of their First Light Casino in Taunton.

Tribal Chairman Brian Weeden told protesters in Boston that proposed historical horse racing (HHR) terminals threaten the tribe’s sovereignty and economic future—particularly if installed at Raynham Park, a former greyhound track located just miles from the tribe’s First Light Casino in Taunton.

“Anyone with eyes to see would understand that these HHR machines are simply slot machines with a different name,” Weeden said, according to the Taunton Daily Gazette.

While HHR terminals look and function like traditional slot machines, their outcomes are determined by the results of previously run, anonymized horse races rather than random number generators. Players wager into parimutuel pools rather than against the house, with the spinning reels acting as a visual presentation of the winning or losing ticket.

Opponents argue this creates a regulatory loophole that allows proponents to classify the terminals as parimutuel racing rather than casino-style gaming.

First Light Casino Under Threat

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe opened an initial gaming venue in Taunton in January 2025 before expanding into the current First Light Casino facility, which operates more than 200 electronic gaming machines.

The new operation is a vastly scaled-down version of the tribe’s long-delayed ambition to build a $1 billion casino resort in Taunton, which has been repeatedly derailed by legal disputes.

Tribal leaders fear that introducing HHR machines at nearby Raynham Park would siphon away critical gaming revenues earmarked for tribal government services and community programs.

Compact Infringement Claims

Proposed language in an economic development bill currently wending its way through the legislature would authorize HHR machines at eligible racetrack properties.

The tribe argues that the proposal would violate its gaming compact with Massachusetts, which it says guarantees exclusive casino gaming rights in the southeastern part of the state.

“This proposal is a complete violation of the Commonwealth’s Compact with our sovereign Tribal Nation,” Weeden said in an earlier statement.

The tribe also cautioned that authorizing HHR machines would expand slot-style gaming outside licensed resort casinos and potentially allow 18-year-olds to wager.

State Sen. Lydia Edwards has joined tribal leadership in urging lawmakers to strip the HHR provision from the final bill. Edwards was scheduled to speak at Thursday’s rally alongside state Rep. David Vieira.

While the House approved the HHR language in July, the Senate omitted the provision from its version. The final outcome rests with a six-member legislative conference committee tasked with reconciling the two bills.