Massachusetts Towns Spend Casino Tax Cash on Surveillance as Gambling Help Gets Just 5%

Massachusetts communities have spent nearly $500,000 in casino grants on police surveillance cameras, while just 5% of the $38.5 million awarded over three years has gone toward addressing problem gambling, according to a new investigation.

Nine communities used grants intended to offset the impact of nearby casinos to purchase automated license plate readers over the past three fiscal years, according to a review of state records by Boston public radio station WBUR.

The money came from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission’s Community Mitigation Fund, established to help municipalities deal with consequences of casino development, including increased traffic, pressure on public services, and gambling-related harm.

Of the $38.5 million distributed over three years, only around $1.9 million went toward gambling prevention and treatment programs, WBUR found.

Most funding instead supported public safety and transportation projects, including police patrols, surveillance equipment, and infrastructure improvements.

Casino Traffic or Mass Surveillance?

In one example cited by WBUR, officials in the city of Agawam, near MGM Springfield, received approval to spend almost $58,000 on six cameras manufactured by Flock Safety.

The cameras were added to a revised grant application, which claimed that some parents dropped their children at the nearby Six Flags New England amusement park before heading to the casino.

However, when questioned by local councilor Christine Rickmon, Police Chief Eric Gillis admitted that officers had not actually documented where those parents went.

Rickmon also questioned why residents had not been consulted about the cameras before their installation.

The devices automatically record passing vehicles’ license plates, creating searchable databases accessible to law enforcement agencies, potentially including departments in other states.

Privacy advocates say the cameras track ordinary drivers, most of whom have nothing to do with the casinos.

Other communities purchasing license plate readers with casino mitigation grants included Chicopee, Ludlow, Plainville, Wrentham, and Chelsea.

In June, the Gaming Commission voted 4-1 to allow Ludlow to redirect $35,000 from an earlier grant toward a Flock camera service contract. Commissioner Eileen O’Brien opposed the decision, citing concerns about the technology.

Gambling Treatment Takes Back Seat

The findings has raised questions about whether the money is being spent where it’s needed most.

The Gaming Commission added gambling harm reduction as an eligible grant category in 2023, but relatively few communities have sought funding for that purpose.

Timothy Fong, co-director of UCLA’s Gambling Studies Program, told WBUR that while casino-related traffic and policing pressures are important, prevention and treatment offer longer-term public health benefits.

Police officials say that license plate readers are valuable investigative tools for solving crimes and locating missing people.

However, the technology has become increasingly controversial across Massachusetts. More than 30 communities have reportedly suspended or canceled license plate reader contracts amid privacy concerns.