So, apparently everyone wants to gamble:

Survey results released Monday find a majority of Massachusetts residents approve the authorization of casino gambling in the state.

The poll, conducted by the Center for Policy Analysis at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, found 57 percent of respondents support the authorization of a resort casino, 30 percent are opposed and 14 percent are undecided.

Here's the important part, though:

When asked to rate a location for a casino, residents statewide favored western Massachusetts, Boston and the New Bedford/Fall River region, in that order, as preferred sites.

Well, of course. Everyone wants legalized gambling, casinos, but they don't want them in their backyards.

Here's what they should have asked:

"If you approve of casinos in Massachusetts, would you be willing to have one built in your town?"

About 9/10s of the people (or more) would say no-way! You'd have more people willing to have a jail, airport, or nuclear power plant built in their towns.

Which is a telling statistic (albeit, a made-up one).

More: Survey: Mass. residents favor Bay State gambling, casino - The Boston Business Journal