There were some areas of concern: More crashes and traffic incidents occurred in the area, and police activity increased in a few locations near the casino.

Similar research on the Plainridge Park slots casino in Plainville also found that the facility had little impact on public safety nearby. “Nor has it increased activity specifically within the radiuses of highway exits to and from the facility.” “Despite hypotheses from before the casino opened, there is so far no sign that the presence of the casino has increased crime or calls for service at hotels, restaurants, bars, and gas stations,” the report said, noting that one nearby gas station had experienced some issues. “We continue to be reassured by the report’s findings that there has been no significant increase in major crime within the community correlated with MGM Springfield.”īeyond the casino, the report found little evidence that some of the most concerning scenarios offered prior to MGM Springfield’s opening had come to pass. “We want to thank the police for their vigilance and partnership,' MGM Springfield officials said in a statement, adding that they have spent millions of dollars on security.

Crime at the casino was comparable to that at the nearby Holyoke Mall ― which had more total crime but less violent crime ― and that it did not have a major effect on the overall crime rates of the area, as some had feared.īut the report suggested that increased public safety measures may have balanced out some potential issues in the immediate area. But they found that the effect of the casino was relatively modest, given its massive scale in the context of the city. Researchers said the $960 million Springfield facility became one of the area’s highest-crime addresses in the 12 months following its opening in late August 2018. Researchers have not yet released similar data from the more recently opened Encore Boston Harbor in Everett.

The findings, delivered Thursday as the Massachusetts Gaming Commission met in Springfield, are the most detailed look to date at crime around a full-service casino in Massachusetts. SPRINGFIELD ― The MGM Springfield casino attracted about as much crime in its first year as “a large shopping mall,” according to research commissioned by state regulators as they seek to understand how the nascent Massachusetts casino industry has affected public safety.

Mgm springfield casino hours