House Bill 6451, An Act Concerning Gaming Agreements with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe and the Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut

Our neighbors are acting fast to take advantage of emerging gaming industry opportunities. If Connecticut cannot agree on a path forward, it risks being left behind. Governor Lamont proposes entering into an agreement with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe of Indians and the Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut to keep our state competitive in that market and provide opportunity to our residents.

Governor Lamont’s Solution

Governor Lamont believes we must recognize the evolving nature of the gaming industry and act to ensure our state’s competitiveness while providing opportunities to our residents. Connecticut’s long and fruitful partnership with the two tribal nations in our state positions us to build on that partnership through the introduction of sports gaming and on-line casino gaming.

His proposal expands a responsibly regulated gaming industry in Connecticut by authorizing him to enter into an agreement with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe of Indians and the Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut to amend existing compacts and memorandums of understanding or to create a new compact regarding the operation of sports wagering, e-sports, and daily fantasy contests both on and off tribal lands, online casino gaming, and online keno, effective upon approval by Secretary of the United States Department of the Interior. 

That expansion of gaming in our state will result in increased revenue for the state’s General Fund. The Governor’s budget proposal assumes $47.3 million in FY 2023 from such expansion of gaming.