You probably won't be playing Texas Hold 'em in Topsfield or hitting the slots in Salem anytime soon - at least in any casinos.

But the North Shore is still likely to feel an impact if a proposed casino opens for business a mere seven miles down the road at Suffolk Downs in East Boston, or even closer at Wonderland in Revere.

As the debate over casino gambling heats up like a poker player with a hot hand, the stakeholders on both sides say the effects will be felt far beyond the dealer's table.

Some expect thousands of permanent jobs, more money coming to North Shore communities and, of course, the entertainment value of having a casino - and a variety of new shops and restaurants - not far from home.

Opponents fear more cars will further clog already congested roads into Boston, gambling addictions will spike, and business at hometown restaurants and other entertainment complexes will suffer.

All agree, however, that a casino will change things.

Chip Tuttle, a Salem resident who is the chief operating officer of Suffolk Downs, where one of the casinos could be built, said casinos will bring not just more money to North Shore communities, but more jobs - about 10,000 construction jobs and 5,600 full-time jobs at the casinos.

"The overwhelming impacts are positive and beneficial, especially for the types of towns on the North Shore, like Salem and Peabody and Beverly, that are scratching their heads trying to figure out how they're going to balance budgets," Tuttle said.

Some, however, question the job numbers and wonder whether casinos will just generate more headaches on the roads. If you already despise commuting to Boston via Routes 1, 1A or 128, just wait until the casinos arrive.

"My major concern would be the traffic issue, not only with people trying to get to Boston but Logan Airport, as well," said state Rep. Joyce Spiliotis, D-Peabody.

"I travel Route 1 a lot," she said. "It's jammed right now. I can't imagine if you have a casino there and even more people are coming from all over."

"I think the North Shore might get whacked twice because now New Hampshire is looking at putting casinos at Rockingham Park right over the state line," said state Sen. Susan Tucker, D-Andover. "A big chunk of people will be visiting New Hampshire to gamble."

Cutting into local tourist dollars?

In Salem, a city that relies heavily on tourist dollars, there are also questions about what impact a casino would have on the estimated 1 million visitors that pour into the Witch City every year.

Would they skip Salem for the slots?

"I don't think the tourists that visit Boston and the North Shore are the same ones that go to the casino," said Rinus Oosthoek, executive director of the Salem Chamber of Commerce. "It's different visitor groups. ... Casinos are not a destination. They are in Vegas or Reno, but anywhere else, it's not as though you'll plan your vacation to go to a casino."

Tuttle, the Suffolk Downs executive, said the track is already trying to work with area businesses. This year, it introduced a loyalty program, where patrons rack up points based on the number of times they visit the track, then redeem those points to earn gift certificates to local businesses. No Salem businesses are affiliated with the program yet, but Tuttle said it just launched the program last month.

But Tucker, the state senator, said Massachusetts risks becoming a "saturated casino state," because the majority of visitors will likely be state residents, and that could lead to a spike in gambling addiction.

"Addiction is very expensive," Tucker said. "It causes a host of problems that people in this state will have to pay for, even if they don't play at the casinos. It's one of the reasons casino gambling doesn't solve state revenue problems."

But other findings show that the state is losing between $700 million and $1 billion to people traveling to Connecticut and Rhode Island to gamble instead. If that's true, it's a compelling argument for the Massachusetts casino, said state Rep. John Keenan, D-Salem.

Already, there seems to be a market on the North Shore for those looking to win big, he said.

"In Salem, my constituents spend $800 per capita, per year (on the state Lottery)," Keenan said. "And there are some people spending thousands of dollars a year on Lottery tickets. ... There are people in Salem that certainly want to gamble."

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Staff writer Chris Cassidy can be reached at 978-338-2526 or by e-mail at ccassidy@ecnnews.com.

The proposal

Gov. Deval Patrick has proposed expanding legal gambling in Massachusetts by allowing three resort-style casinos to open. One of them would be in Greater Boston, at either the Wonderland Greyhound Park in Revere or the Suffolk Downs horse track in East Boston.

The governor says his plan could generate revenue and jobs. The proposal still needs legislative approval to become reality.