Massachusetts casino bill appears dead

The House Speaker Robert DeLeo told Boston-area media he wouldn’t make further compromises to save a bill to expand gambling in Massachusetts. It is doubtful, he said, that the Legislature would return to override Gov. Deval Patrick’s rejection of the measure.

State lawmakers approved a bill last weekend that would allow for Massachusetts to have three casinos and two slot machine parlors.

Patrick, however, opposed the legislation because the state’s four racetracks would compete for the slot parlor licenses. Patrick, a Democrat who is facing re-election in November, said he wanted to eliminate one of the slot machine facilities.

DeLeo’s comments, along with pessimistic views by the State Senate president that a compromise could be reached, signaled that the effort may fall short.

This was the closest Massachusetts has come toward legalizing casinos.

DeLeo said he would explore the possibility of calling legislators back into session to revive the bill, but he thought a deal this year was unlikely.