Massachusetts officials see only dollar signs as sports betting explodes

With mobile betting rolling out next month, the Massachusetts sports gambling industry – with state political leaders cheering it on – is about to explode.

House Speaker Ron Mariano’s eyes are lighting up with dollar signs.

In Massachusetts it’s all about greed. How much more in sports gambling tax revenue can we grab to spend on pork, pet projects and pay raises.

Does anyone think a significant amount of money will be going towards anti-addiction programs?

“I think you’re looking at a potential gold mine,” Mariano said when sports betting first rolled out, adding that he was actually sorry it took the Massachusetts Gaming Commission six months to start allowing bets. “I really think they could have gone a little faster. But obviously they erred on the side of caution and took their time and wanted to make sure there were no major mistakes.”

But just in the first few weeks of legalized sports betting, there have already been mistakes – cases of casinos allowing banned bets on in-state college games. And there will be more because the casinos know all they’ll get is a slap on the wrist.

Take a look at what’s happening in the rest of the country in the 32 other states that legalized sports gaming. An estimated 50 million people are expected to lay a bet on Sunday’s Super Bowl.

Gaming critics and addiction experts now say sports betting could become the next opioid epidemic in the nation. The explosion of gambling venues and web sites and apps is similar to what’s happened with the pot industry, where hundreds of unregulated and unregistered pot stores are popping up all over places like New York City, prompting the mayor to issue a crackdown.

In Amsterdam, believe it or not, officials concerned about the open prostitution and public drinking and pot usage have banned smoking on the streets and cut down the hours that legal venues can serve the public.

But in Massachusetts, don’t count on state lawmakers to try to protect the public health and safety, because they don’t care.

Do you really think the gaming commission and cannabis commission will protect the public – especially those most vulnerable to addiction?

Casinos and gambling apps are required to put out only a token warning about addiction, similar to the tobacco industry saying cigarettes aren’t good for you. That’s not enough.

Gov. Maura Healey, who has never been a big casino advocate, should keep an eye on this exploding sports gambling industry and make sure there isn’t another health crisis in the state.

Make sure enough resources are going into the lives that will soon be shattered by sports gambling.

Because ultimately it is us taxpayers who bear the brunt of an addiction crisis.