Connecticut Gambling Bill

Connecticut Gambling Bill One Step Closer After Tribes Sign-On

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  • Both the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Mohegan Tribe have signed the new agreement with Connecticut’s Governor Ned Lamont.
  • The bill will now be debated in the legislative session and then put to a vote.
  • The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation initially opposed the deal.

HARTFORD, Conn. – It appears that Connecticut lawmakers and local tribes have come to an understanding, as both native tribes have agreed to the new compacts to bring online gambling and sports betting to Connecticut.

Governor Ned Lamont managed to secure the deal with the Mohegan Tribe during an earlier legislative session, but still had to negotiate the 20% state tax share with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation.

Now that both tribes have agreed, the launch of the Connecticut online gambling market is now one step closer to becoming a reality.

Online Gambling In Connecticut

The USA online gambling bills in the state legislature have gone through a lot to get this far, but it is still a ways off from becoming law.

The next steps would involve the state's House and Senate to vote over the bills, which may be amended and then would need to be voted on again.

Following this, federal approval for the new tribal compacts must be granted for the new markets to launch. If either of these steps fails to see the bill pass, Connecticut will be at square one.

The biggest hurdle, however, may have been passed as the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation came to terms with lawmakers and successfully signed on for the new gambling market in Connecticut.

“It’s something that all of our neighbors are doing, our neighboring states, and Connecticut is going to play,” said Lamont. “I think it’s a way to bring our cities and towns back to life, and represents some real revenue for the taxpayers.”

Initially, when the Governor failed to make a deal in the earlier legislative session but successfully got the Mohegan Tribe to sign on, the Mashantucket Pequot were upset about the reports that came out.

The issue they raised was that both tribes are needed for a deal to pass, so publicly declaring signing one tribe was viewed as a tactic to force the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe into submission.

Things got so bad that lawmakers publicly told the Governor they would refuse to sign any bill should the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation not sign on.

Fortunately, negotiations are now complete, bringing Connecticut one step closer to seeing online casinos and USA online sportsbooks launching in the Constitution State.