July 29--This is D-day for the state's casino gambling proposal.

If lawmakers fail today to reach an agreement on a bill to allow casinos in Massachusetts, the proposal dies for this year, said state Rep. Brian Dempsey, D-Haverhill.

In that case, the soonest lawmakers could consider the casino issue again would be in January, the next legislative session. They would have to start the process all over again, meaning they would lose all the work that was accomplished through months of hearings and negotiations between the House and Senate.

Late last night, Dempsey said leaders of both branches continued to work toward a compromise. He said the major sticking points remained the same as they have for weeks -- how many casinos the state should have and whether slot machines are allowed.

The House version of the proposal calls for two casinos and slots at four racetracks. The Senate version calls for three casinos.

"We have not finalized those major issues," said Dempsey, who is in charge of trying to bring forward a gambling proposal agreed upon by both sides before the legislative session ends Saturday.

Dempsey said as a practical matter, lawmakers must reach an agreement today to allow enough time for the detailed wording of the plan to be finalized before the session ends.

"To do the drafting and finalizing, we would need most of this to be worked out by tomorrow," he said last night.

He said he believes lawmakers continued to negotiate late last night and will again today if necessary because 15,000 jobs are at stake at a time when unemployment is high. If passed by lawmakers and then Gov. Deval Patrick, the casino plan is expected to create at least that many jobs.

"We're all very concerned about jobs," Dempsey said last night. "We want to do all we can to reach a compromise. That's keeping us at the table.

"The bottom line is we've made some progress," he said. "We're working very hard."

Legislative leaders met for about 45 minutes yesterday afternoon in House Speaker Robert DeLeo's office after aides to Senate President Therese Murray delivered their proposal. The meeting ended without any announcement of an agreement. Senate leaders said they were continuing to work on a solution, with Murray saying, "We're going to keep at it until we can somehow get to 'yes.' "

Both sides agree on adding casinos, with the Senate approving two and the House three. But DeLeo favors allowing slot machines at the state's four racetracks, an idea opposed by Murray and the governor.

Murray has publicly remained steadfast on that point, but Patrick appeared to hedge yesterday.

Asked if he would sign a bill allowing slot machines, the governor replied, "That's not my first choice." Asked if he would sign a bill allowing one slot parlor as a compromise, he said, "I don't have that bill yet, but that's not my first choice and they know that."

Senate Ways and Means Chairman Steven Panagiotakos said his chamber offered the two options to spur a decision by the end of yesterday.

"One of them embraces common ground and the other allows the decision to be made in a different forum," Panagiotakos said of the options.

He said House and Senate leaders needed to get a final compromise on the broad outlines of the bill last night so their aides have time to write and file the bill's final language by an 8 p.m. Friday parliamentary deadline.

That timetable would allow lawmakers to debate and pass the bill Saturday, the last day of the session, although it would not give them time to overturn any vetoes Patrick might make to the legislation.

Both House and Senate bills agree on the creation of a five-member Massachusetts Gaming Commission to oversee the casinos, although they differ slightly on how the members of that board would be appointed.

Under the Senate bill, the governor would get to appoint three of the commissioners, including the chairman, while the attorney general and state treasurer would each appoint one. The House bill also would create a five-member board with each member approved by a majority vote of the governor, attorney general and state treasurer.

Supporters of casinos have said expanded gambling in Massachusetts will bring in hundreds of millions of dollars in added revenue each year.

Critics say casinos will end up costing the state in social ills, including compulsive gambling, increased crime and divorce.

The state already allows lottery games, horse racing and simulcasting of out-of-state horse and dog races.

Material from the Associated Press was used in this story.

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