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When the House defeated Gov. Deval Patrick's proposed casino plan this week, there were many reasons to be disappointed, even angry.

E The House blew a chance to recapture some of the more than $1 billion Bay Staters spend each year at casinos in Connecticut and slot machine parlors in Rhode Island.

E The House wasted an opportunity to create hundreds, even thousands, of jobs in three parts of the state most in need of an economic shot in the arm.

E The House turned its back on millions in tax revenue desperately needed by cities and towns to keep schools operating and police and fire departments fully staffed. Many municipalities now will likely turn to property tax hikes, which can only be accomplished through divisive elections. And the state may be forced to hike taxes as health care costs escalate.

E The House likely struck the death knell for the state's racetrack industry, costing Massachusetts hundreds of jobs including those at Plainridge Racecourse in Plainville. But the most maddening thing about the killing of the casinos was House Speaker Sal DiMasi's strong-arm tactics to ensure defeat of the governor's plan. In the galling tradition of recent autocratic speakers, DiMasi's use of closed-door meetings, secret votes and, worst of all, heavy pressure on individual lawmakers to defeat a bill that, according to a published report, even constituents in his North End of Boston district largely supported.

The bottom line is that one lawmaker - not the 200 elected by the voters - controls virtually all legislation in Massachusetts. That's wrong, and it must stop.

It would be nice to side with DiMasi's contention that he is trying to protect Massachusetts from the social ills of gambling. But that's simply not possible. A University of Massachusetts Dartmouth study showed that Bay Staters spent $1.1 billion on Connecticut and Rhode Island gambling establishments in 2005. That number has surely increased in the last two years with the expansion of Twin River in Lincoln, R.I., and the growing popularity of Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun.

In the 21st century, gamblers don't have to leave home to place bets, thanks to the many Internet gaming sites. Even the Massachusetts Lottery recently expanded the number of Keno outlets and, significantly, for gamblers to check their results online.

Bay Staters are clearly voting with their wallets in favor of gaming. We don't believe it is up to the Legislature to decide what people should be doing with their money.

Blocking Gov. Patrick's plan to license three destination casinos - in Southeastern Massachusetts, Western Massachusetts and in the Boston area - helps no one and hurts Bay State taxpayers. To prevent the state from capitalizing on its residents' desire for gambling entertainment is simply foolish.

A key vote was cast on Wednesday by state Rep. Richard Ross. The Wrentham Republican, whose district includes Plainridge, had sided with the governor on the casino but was persuaded at the last minute by the racetrack's chief executive and by Plainville town officials to reject the casino in the hope that a long-shot bid by the state's four tracks to add slot machines might meet House approval.

While we understand and respect Ross' desire to represent his constituents, we wonder if his district and all of Massachusetts would have been better served if he had stood up to DiMasi and voted for Gov. Patrick's proposal. The House may have had a better opportunity to fully debate this important question, and, more importantly, it would have sent a clear message against DiMasi's iron-fisted rule.

Instead, the House has not only blown a chance for much-needed revenue and jobs, it has declined to dethrone the king of the Hill.

Autocracy prevails.