Ka-Ching!!!

If casinos don't make financial sense in Massachusetts, somebody's got the casino builders snookered, because there's turning out to be competition for the licenses.

The deadline is tomorrow for the non-refundable $400,000 fee, and already there are seven checks in hand with more expected.

Four of the developers are competing for one license in the western Massachusetts zone: MGM Resorts, Penn National Gaming, Mohegan Sun, and Hard Rock International.

Two others are in the Boston/Worcester zone -- Suffolk Downs/Caesars, and Steve Wynn's Everett site. My understanding is that at least one more proposal is expected in this zone.

And for the one slot parlor license, Plainridge has submitted its check, Raynham is expected to do so tomorrow, and there could be more.

(The third casino license, for the southeastern Massachusetts zone, has a later deadline because of the tribal first-right provision.)

Sadly, the Gaming Commission is not expected to implement my suggestion, which is to give those $400,000 fees to Massachusetts residents, to compete in a reality show where they travel to the world's best casinos trying to end up with the most cash at the end of three months.