- Former Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy signed a CT sports betting bill in 2018, prompting the state to create regulations on the activity after PASPA was repealed.
- Connecticut Native American Tribes hold exclusivity on casino gaming in the state.
- Tribes are willing to cease payment to the state if sports betting is allowed with other entities.
HARTFORD, Conn. – Even though sports betting has been legal in Connecticut since 2018, sports bettors in the state are still waiting to be able to place their wagers. The reason stems from tribal opposition which current Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont is hoping to resolve.
The two federally recognized Native American groups in the state are the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes, who together hold exclusivity to all Class III casino gaming in the state of Connecticut through their tribal compacts.
They argue that if the state were to pass any sports betting bills, then the activity would fall under the definition of Class III gaming which means that they would have the sole rights to offer sportsbooks.
While Connecticut sports betting is not mentioned in either one of their compacts, according to Title 25 of the Code of Federal Regulations at section 502.4, sports betting most certainly falls under the classification of Class III gaming as it was directly mentioned in section C of that code.
The Tribes have claimed that they are willing to hold out any future payments from their current casino operations if the state plans to offer sports betting to any other interested party in the state.
This would be devastating to the state’s budget as casino gaming is expected to generate a total of $250 million dollars over the following fiscal year.
When CT Governor Ned Lamont released his first budget proposal in February of this year, he left out any potential revenue to come from sports wagering. The Tribes claimed that they will need to reach an agreement with Lamont in order to update their compacts to include this gaming expansion.
“Governor Lamont is committed to a global resolution of all gaming issues, including sports betting, and remains actively engaged with key stakeholders,” Lamont spokesman Davide Bednarz says.
A definite timeline for when he will reach an agreement or if he will reach an agreement is still unclear.
However, the recent partnership between the Mohegan Tribe and international sports betting provider Kambi does show that they are confident they will be able to offer a sportsbook sooner than later.
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News tags: Connecticut | Connecticut sports betting | Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation | Mohegan Tribe | tribal gaming
– In his career, Hasan has worked both local and state government positions—including the Attorney General’s Office in Florida. On top of being familiar with the legislative process, he has also been researching and writing on the legality of sports betting across the US. Outside of work you’ll most likely find him producing or playing music, playing sports, or working on creative writing projects. You’ll also catch him at Doak Campbell Stadium cheering on the Noles.
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