$$ Impact of Connecticut Casinos

If Massachusetts proceeds with Governor Deval Patrick's proposal to build casinos, it would join Connecticut which is currently the only New England state to host legalized resort casino gambling.

It was in the early 1990s, when the 'Constitution State' first allowed casinos. Since then, they've overtaken defense industries as the area's main economic factor.

Jeff Blodgett is an expert on this very subject. He's vice president of research of Connecticut Economic Resource Center and he published a paper in June about the casinos' economic impact in the state. Blodgett joins WBUR's Bob Oakes to talk about the bottom line.

Audio for this story will be available on WBUR's web site later today.