Gambling may be on fall ballot

DiMasi deals to end budget impasse

BOSTON. House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi has been a strong opponent of casino gambling, but yesterday he took a departure from his hard-line stance by supporting a nonbinding referendum on the issue for the fall ballot.

Earlier this year, DiMasi fought against Gov. Deval Patrick’s bill that called for building three resort casinos in Massachusetts and was later defeated in the House. But after rumblings the Senate might add casino gambling as an amendment to the state budget — a move DiMasi said he was “deeply concerned” over — he has apparently tried to reach some compromise.

“The budget is the most important bill we debate each year and is far too significant to be bogged down in these kinds of major, controversial public policy debates,” DiMasi said yesterday in a statement. “I remain opposed to casino gambling but, given the magnitude of what the Senate is considering, I would support as a compromise Senator [Steven] Panagiotakos’ proposal to put an advisory question on casinos before voters this fall.

“The House made its views on casinos clear in May. But rather than have our budget negotiations stall over a potential casino impasse, I suggest we put this before the voters in a nonbinding referendum question and reconsider it next year.”

Patrick’s casino bill was introduced on the Senate floor several hours after DiMasi’s statement was released, but it was later sent to committee to study further.

Panagiotakos, a Lowell Democrat who is a supporter of a casino plan and co-chairman of the Ways & Means Committee, called for the ballot referendum in March.