Another Delay Considered For Southeastern Mass. Casino

State gambling officials are concerned Massachusetts won't see any viable casino proposals emerge in the Fall River/New Bedford area and are considering delaying the licensing process another six months.

The members of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, at a meeting at the Hynes Convention Center Thursday, voiced support for pushing back the next deadline for the southeastern region casino license from Sept. 23 to March.

The five-member panel had already pushed back the deadline from July.

The commission is also considering reopening the process to new applicants and making further changes to the minimum capital investment of $500 million required under law.

Only gambling operators that initially applied for the southeast license _ or where rejected in one of the other two regions (east or west) _ currently qualify.