After thinking they were “at the finish line” in April 2019, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont and the Mohegan Tribe, have reportedly finally agreed to terms for a comprehensive gambling expansion plan that could see legalized sports betting and internet gambling in the southern New England state.
In a joint statement on Tuesday, Mohegan Tribal Chair James Gessner Jr., who leads one of two federally recognized Native American tribes in Connecticut, and the Democratic governor made the announcement within hours of an earlier message delivered to state legislators via the General Assembly’s Public Safety Committee by Lamont’s chief of staff, Paul Mounds detailing that the administration was “at the precipice” of a deal finally being reached, as reported by the Associated Press.
Missing input:
According to the news agency, Mounds had said the goal of the administration was that the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe be included in the final agreement, however, the owners and operators of Foxwoods Casino in southeastern Connecticut were absent from the joint statement, a fact which tribal chair Rodney Butler said was “extremely disrespectful in terms of process and substance.”
Future litigation:
The Tuesday agreement also gives the Connecticut Lottery Corporation (CT Lottery) the right to operate 15 retail sports betting sites in addition to online sports betting operations. The lottery would moreover sublicense pari-mutuel operator Sportech Venues, to operate some of those retail sports betting sites, which the state-licensed, New Haven-based operator responded to by stating that it will sue because it was “principally” excluded from the agreement, and subsequently expanded gaming.
In its statement, Sportech said it has “little option but to pursue legal recourse on behalf of our 400 Connecticut employees, according to the AP news service.
The Hartford Courant reports that license agreements will extend 10 years and include a five-year extension option, while the lottery will also establish new retail sports betting venues in Bridgeport and Hartford.
In addition to needing approval from the state’s General Assembly, the revised regulations must also be reviewed by the U.S. Department of Interior, which could take between 60 and 90 days, according to the daily newspaper.