The Massachusetts Gaming Commission has announced in a press release that it is awarding money to bolster human trafficking research and enforcement.
Awarded through the Community Mitigation Fund, the grant will support increasing the resources available to law enforcement agencies, enabling them to grow their teams and respond to more cases of human trafficking on both regional and statewide levels.
The MGC also will continue to support studies and assessments of the social and economic effects of casino gambling on the community. As part of its annual research budget, the commission awarded $160,000 to the Safe Exit Initiative to conduct a study of the influence of casino resorts on sex trafficking.
“These initiatives underscore the MGC’s unwavering dedication to prioritizing the safety and wellbeing of individuals within our communities by prosecuting human trafficking and protecting vulnerable populations. These grants represent a significant investment in our collective efforts to combat human trafficking by providing agencies with the necessary information and resources,” MGC Interim Chair Jordan Maynard said.
The commission continues to collaborate with stakeholders in the community and law enforcement agencies to take proactive measures to mitigate the impact of human trafficking and uphold the standard of integrity of casino communities.