The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe rallied outside the Massachusetts State House Thursday (Oct. 15) to oppose legislation that could bring thousands of slot-like gambling machines to the state, potentially threatening the tribe’s fledgling casino operation.

Tribal Chairman Brian Weeden told protesters in Boston that proposed historical horse racing (HHR) machines threatened the tribe’s sovereignty and economic future, particularly because they could be installed at Raynham Park, a former racetrack near the tribe’s First Light Casino in Taunton.

“Anyone with eyes to see would understand that these HHR machines are simply slot machines with a different name,” Weeden said, according to the Taunton Daily Gazette.

HHR machines look and operate much like slot machines, but their outcomes are determined by previously run horse races rather than random number generators.

The races are anonymized, and players wager into parimutuel pools instead of betting against the house. The spinning reels are largely cosmetic, displaying whether a bet has won or lost.

This creates a legal “loophole” that allows proponents to argue the machines are a form of horse racing rather than casino-style gambling.

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe opened a modest gaming facility in Taunton in January 2025 with just 10 slot machines. It has since expanded into First Light Casino, which now offers more than 200 games.

The new operation is a vastly scaled-down version of the tribe’s long-delayed ambition to build a $1 billion casino resort in Taunton, which has been repeatedly derailed by legal disputes .

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