Connecticut Governor Rejects Online Gambling Proposal

• Governor Ned Lamont dismissed a request to use his power to allow tribes to offer online gambling due to the closure of their casinos because of COVID-19 outbreak.
• The governor and the tribal owners of the Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Casino have had tension between them since March.
• The proposal would bring mobile casinos and sports betting to residents of Connecticut.

HARTFORD, Conn. - Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont recently declined a measure that would allow the tribal owners of the Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun to operate online gambling sites while their brick-and-mortar casinos are closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The tribes' request would cause the governor to use an executive order one that would skip over the process of having the state legislature approve and even giving residents the right to vote.

This rejection is just the latest tab in a tense history between these two tribes and the Governor of Connecticut. The tribes do employ workers in their casinos that would benefit from the online casinos being up since their business would still be bringing in revenue.

“That process is simply not feasible or realistic during this crisis and while the legislature remains in recess,” Lamont wrote.

If the request was approved it would allow the tribes to launch online casinos and sports betting on mobile devices without a regulatory or governing body overseeing the operations.

“Authorizing online gaming and enabling consumers to more easily access gambling is a significant policy decision that has not yet been embraced or acted up by our legislature,” wrote Lamont. “Doing so at a time when so many Connecticut residents are in financial distress would be a particularly significant policy decision to make without legislative approval.”

Until the coronavirus pandemic subsides Connecticut gambling venues will remain closed with no time frame set on when they will reopen.

With most states already focused on helping residents fighting the coronavirus, Connecticut governor Ned Lamont is focused on the finances of every CT resident and of the legislative process that he is apart of. Legal online gambling could come at a later time in the state, but an executive order doesn’t appear to be the way to get it done.