Residents of Massachusetts spent almost $1 billion at New England casinos and racinos in 2009, up five per cent from 2008, according to a report by the

Boston Herald.

The article states that the 'New England Casino Gaming' 2010 update report was released today by the Center for Policy Analysis at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth. Findings from the report convey that gambling revenue from state gambling halls fell in 2009 while spending at state casinos and racinos jumped to $968.3 million from $920 in 2008.

The article also indicates that Massachusetts residents last year spent three per cent more ($730.6 million) at the Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun casinos in Connecticut than in 2008 ($709 million).

According to the article, the study's author, Clyde Barrow, said the study’s findings were based on counting license plates over a five-day period to determine where gamblers are from and dividing the revenues by that number.

(With files from the Boston Herald)