Instead of Tackling Gambling Addiction: Casino Grants Fund Surveillance Cameras
Massachusetts communities used casino mitigation funds to buy license plate readers, raising privacy concerns and diverting money from gambling addiction programs.Summary
Nine Massachusetts communities have spent nearly $500,000 from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission's Community Mitigation Fund on automated license plate readers, mostly from Flock Safety, to monitor traffic near casinos. The fund, financed by casino tax revenue, is intended to address negative impacts such as traffic, public safety, and gambling addiction. However, the cameras capture all vehicles, not just casino-related ones, and data is stored in databases accessible to law enforcement without a warrant. The purchases have sparked criticism from residents and civil liberties groups, including the ACLU of Massachusetts, over privacy and lack of public consultation. Some communities have suspended or canceled contracts. Additionally, WBUR's analysis found that only 5% of the $38.5 million distributed over three years went to problem gambling prevention and treatment, despite the category being added in 2023. Experts suggest that investing in gambling prevention and treatment could yield better long-term public health benefits than expanding surveillance infrastructure.
(Source：Gamblingnews)