Assessing the Impact of Gambling on Public Safety in Massachusetts Cities and Towns: Analysis of changes in police data after the first year of operation at Plainridge Park Casino

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  • Prepared By: Christopher W. Bruce
  • Release Date: December 12, 2016
Summary:

Since its opening in June 2015, Plainridge Park has shown crime and call‐for‐service totals commensurate with similarly‐sized and trafficked facilities. As for the surrounding community, the totality of the evidence shows little impact on most crimes and calls for service. The casino may have influenced an increase in credit card fraud, identity theft, and “con games” in the region, although more analysis is needed. The presence of the casino also does seem related in increases in the types of calls for service that one would expect to increase with extra traffic and people in the area, including traffic collisions, lost property, and citizen complaints of traffic problems. The analysis is complicated by changes in reporting practices at several of the participating agencies.

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