Mass. Gen. Laws » Part I Title II Chapter 23K
Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 23K, § 1 (2026)

Findings and declaration

✓ current as of July 2026
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section MAmalegislature.gov (official) JustiaChapter on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

Section 1. The General Court finds and declares that:

(1) ensuring public confidence in the integrity of the gaming licensing process and in the strict oversight of all gaming establishments through a rigorous regulatory scheme is the paramount policy objective of this chapter;

(2) establishing the financial stability and integrity of gaming licensees, as well as the integrity of their sources of financing, is an integral and essential element of the regulation and control of gaming under this chapter;

(3) gaming licensees shall be held to the highest standards of licensing and shall have a continuing duty to maintain their integrity and financial stability;

(4) enhancing and supporting the performance of the state lottery and continuing the commonwealth's dedication to local aid is imperative to the policy objectives of this chapter;

(5) the commonwealth must provide for new employment opportunities in all sectors of the economy, particularly opportunities for the unemployed, and shall preserve jobs in existing industries in the commonwealth; this chapter sets forth a robust licensing process whereby an applicant for a gaming license shall submit a comprehensive plan for operating a gaming establishment which includes how the applicant will foster and encourage new construction through capital investment and provide permanent employment opportunities to residents of the commonwealth;

(6) promoting local small businesses and the tourism industry, including the development of new and existing small business and tourism amenities such as lodging, dining, retail and cultural and social facilities, is fundamental to the policy objectives of this chapter;

(7) recognizing the importance of the commonwealth's unique cultural and social resources and integrating them into new development opportunities shall be a key component of a decision to the award of any gaming license under this chapter;

(8) applicants for gaming licenses and gaming licensees shall demonstrate their commitment to efforts to combat compulsive gambling and a dedication to community mitigation, and shall recognize that the privilege of licensure bears a responsibility to identify, address and minimize any potential negative consequences of their business operations;

(9) any license awarded by the commission shall be a revocable privilege and may be conditioned, suspended or revoked upon: (i) a breach of the conditions of licensure, including failure to complete any phase of construction of the gaming establishment or any promises made to the commonwealth in return for receiving a gaming license; (ii) any civil or criminal violations of the laws of the commonwealth or other jurisdictions; or (iii) a finding by the commission that a gaming licensee is unsuitable to operate a gaming establishment or perform the duties of their licensed position; and

(10) the power and authority granted to the commission shall be construed as broadly as necessary for the implementation, administration and enforcement of this chapter.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 6 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 2014–2023 · leading case: City of Revere v. Massachusetts Gaming Comm'n, 71 N.E.3d 457 (Mass. 2017).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
City of Revere v. Massachusetts Gaming Comm'n, 71 N.E.3d 457 (Mass. 2017). · cites it 2× “” G. L. c. 23K, § 1 (1). It would be difficult to give meaning to that declaration were we to read § 17 (g) as the commission suggests we should — that is, as precluding even the extraordinary remedy of certiorari review.”
Abdow v. Attorney Gen., 468 Mass. 478 (Mass. 2014). · cites it 3× “But all licenses are subject to suspension or revocation on various grounds, as set forth in G. L. c. 23K, §§ 1 (9), 4 (15), 23 (a)-(b).”
Gattineri v. Wynn MA, LLC (Mass. 2023). · cites it 5× “See G. L. c. 23K, § 1 (10) (providing that "the power and authority granted to the commission shall be construed as broadly as necessary" to implement and administer gaming act).”
City of Boston v. Massachusetts Gaming Comm'n, 33 Mass. L. Rptr. 247 (Mass. Super. Ct. 2015). · cites it 2× “As stated in G.L.c. 23K, §1, “the power and authority of the commission shall be construed as broadly as necessary for the implementation, administration and enforcement” of the Gaming Act.”
Gattineri v. Wynn MA, LLC (D. Mass. 2022). “” Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 23K, § 1(1). Indeed, Gattineri’s alleged secret side agreement is the kind of conduct the law seeks to prevent.”
City of Revere v. Massachusetts Gaming Comm'n, 33 Mass. L. Rptr. 239 (Mass. Super. Ct. 2015). “” G.L.c. 23K, §1(5). This general statement, however, in no way suggests that the Gaming Act created any duly by the Commission to protect the interests of unions whose employees would have benefited from the award of a license to another applicant.”
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 23K, § 1(1) — 1 case
Gattineri v. Wynn MA, LLC (D. Mass. 2022). “” Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 23K, § 1(1). Indeed, Gattineri’s alleged secret side agreement is the kind of conduct the law seeks to prevent.”
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 23K, § 1(5) — 1 case
City of Revere v. Massachusetts Gaming Comm'n, 33 Mass. L. Rptr. 239 (Mass. Super. Ct. 2015). “” G.L.c. 23K, §1(5). This general statement, however, in no way suggests that the Gaming Act created any duly by the Commission to protect the interests of unions whose employees would have benefited from the award of a license to another applicant.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.