Home of Yale University and ESPN, Connecticut is the third-smallest state in the US and also one of the most prosperous. It ranks second in personal income per capita after the District of Columbia, with an average income of $79,000 per resident. Residents’ high incomes, the state’s dense population, and its relatively lenient attitude toward gambling combine to make Connecticut a small hotbed for wagering activities.
Residents of the Nutmeg State have access to various legal forms of gambling. State-operated lotteries, casino gaming, pari-mutuel wagering, social and charitable gaming all enjoy legal status here. Two tribal casinos call the state their home: the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville and Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket.
The two tribal gambling businesses provide employment to more than 24,200 Connecticuters and annually contribute over $768 million in taxes and tribal revenue-share payments. Recent legislative changes paved the way for an expansion of gambling in the state.
Locals can now wager on sports at retail locations as well as remotely via licensed sportsbook apps and websites. Online casino games are also regulated and legal in Connecticut, with players enjoying a broad selection of games, including slots, blackjack, baccarat, and roulette. Participating in daily fantasy contests is another option for Connecticuters who want to gamble remotely.
Landbased Gambling Laws in Connecticut
Land-based gambling activities in Connecticut are regulated by several pieces of legislation, including the Connecticut General Statutes, Public Act 17-89, and Public Act 17-161. The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act is the primary statute that governs casino gaming on tribal lands within the state. The Gaming Division within the Department of Consumer Protection oversees most forms of legal gambling in the Nutmeg State and enforces state gambling laws.
Connecticut General Statutes
Mashantucket Pequot Compact
Mohegan Tribe Compact
The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA)
Public Act 17-89
Public Act 17-161
Connecticut General Statutes
The Connecticut General Statutes address gambling in Chapter 946, which covers all offenses against public policy. Section 53-278a of that chapter defines gambling as staking money or something else of value for profit that is contingent wholly or partially on chance. The definition extends to devices and games such as craps, blackjack, slots, roulette, and poker.
It excludes legal contests in which participants earn awards or other prizes based on personal skills such as speed, endurance, or strength. Legitimate business transactions that represent valid contracts, state-operated lotteries, raffles, bingo, pull-tab tickets, and daily fantasy sports also fall under the exceptions outlined in Section 53-278a.
While professional gambling is defined in the state statutes, the term refers to individuals who conduct unauthorized wagering activities for personal gain. Examples include unauthorized bookmaking, chance-based games like roulette, pool-selling, and illegal slot machines, among others. Claw games and redemption machines are not considered gambling devices.
The provision of illegal gambling is penalized under Section 53-278b. Individuals who encourage or induce others to gamble commit class B misdemeanors, while those who knowingly engage in professional gambling commit class A misdemeanors.
The penalties for a class B misdemeanor include imprisonment of up to six months and fines capped at $1,000. Persons found guilty of class A misdemeanors face stiffer penalties, namely up to one year in prison and fines of up to $2,000.
Mashantucket Pequot Compact
Some of the exceptions outlined in Section 53-278a cleared the path for casino-style gambling on the reservations of Connecticut’s sovereign tribes. Tribal gambling began in the mid-1980s when the Mashantucket Pequot opened a high-stakes bingo room on their reservation. The sovereign nation then assumed legal control over its tribal territory and gained federal recognition through a congressional act.
The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Council subsequently passed an ordinance that allowed tribal members to run bingo games on their land. Foxwoods started as a bingo hall but quickly expanded its operations by adding slot machines and table games to its product lineup. A poker room followed in the mid-1990s. Today, the Mashantucket Pequot offer casino-style gaming under the terms of their compact with the Connecticut government.
Mohegan Tribe Compact
The federal government recognized the Mohegan Tribe as a sovereign nation through Public Law 103-377, also known as the Mohegan Nation of Connecticut Land Claims Settlement Act of 1994. Sovereign status enabled the Mohegan to begin gambling operations on their newly acquired trust land.
Located in Uncasville, Mohegan Sun opened its doors in 1996. The property now offers more than 300 gaming tables and 5,000 slot machines. The resort operates under the terms of its compact with the state of Connecticut, which the US Department of the Interior approved in November 1994.
The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA)
All tribal gambling activities, including those conducted in Connecticut, are governed by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). Signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1988, IGRA allowed state governments to negotiate compacts with federally recognized tribes for the operation of Class III gambling games.
State authorities play a limited role in regulating Class III activities. This category covers a broad range of casino-style games, including slots, banked card games such as baccarat and blackjack, roulette, craps, and electronic games of chance. To offer these games legally, sovereign nations must meet several conditions.
First, the games must be lawful within the state where the tribal trust land is located. The Secretary of the Department of the Interior must also endorse the compacts between the states and the tribes. Finally, the councils of the sovereign nations must issue tribal gaming ordinances and submit them to the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) for approval.
Public Act 17-89
The Connecticut General Assembly approved Public Act 17-89 in 2017. The legislation authorized the Mohegan and the Mashantucket Pequot tribes to operate a casino at a venue located outside their tribal lands. The Tribal Winds Casino is a joint project of MMCT Venture, a limited liability company owned by both tribes.
The tribes initially planned to build the gaming facility in East Windsor, Hartford County, on the site of a demolished movie theater. They envisioned a multimillion-dollar project spanning 100,000 square feet that would feature sixty table games and roughly 1,800 slots, along with eateries and entertainment venues.
Various legal obstacles plagued the project from the outset. Because the planned casino was to be located outside the sovereign lands of the Mohegan and the Mashantucket Pequot, the project required amendments to the tribes’ gaming compacts. The Department of the Interior (DOI) had to approve these amendments before MMCT Venture could proceed.
The DOI approved the compact amendments in March 2019, much to the displeasure of MGM Resorts International. The global hospitality company operates MGM Springfield, a Massachusetts casino resort situated approximately thirteen miles from the proposed Tribal Winds site. MGM Resorts subsequently filed legal proceedings against DOI, arguing that the decision violated federal law and gave an unfair advantage to the Connecticut tribes.
The company dropped the lawsuit in 2021 after MMCT Venture announced its intention to put the Tribal Winds project on hold for ten years. This decision was largely influenced by the global coronavirus pandemic, and the tribes concluded it would be prudent to postpone construction during the resulting economic downturn.
Public Act 17-161
Public Act 17-161 authorizes nonprofit organizations to sell raffle tickets as of October 2017. Fraternities, religious, educational, and charitable groups may also run raffles and bazaars provided that the organizers of these events do not receive any remuneration. Approval from municipal authorities is required, and individuals who sell or market raffle tickets must be at least 16 years old.
Tribal Gaming Compact Terms and Requirements
Commercial casinos remain unavailable in Connecticut, and that situation is unlikely to change soon now that the Tribal Winds project is officially on hold. Accordingly, no licensing structure is in place for commercial gaming in the state. The Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes therefore operate under the terms of their respective compacts.
Terms of Mohegan Compact
Terms of Mashantucket Pequot Compact
Terms of Mohegan Compact
Both compacts permit the legal provision of Class III casino-style games. Under the Mohegan agreement with the state, the tribe may offer banked poker games, blackjack, dice games such as craps and sic bo, money wheels, baccarat, roulette, over-under, acey-ducey, and lottery games. Off-track pari-mutuel wagering on animal races and jai alai is also permitted.
Mohegan Sun Casino may accept payments from patrons only in cash, credit cards, or checks. Staff members require gaming employee licenses from the state regulator and must provide detailed information about their industry experience, education, and any past criminal sentences. Applications must also include fingerprint cards and photographs of prospective employees.
Applicants with a criminal history or poor reputation are likely to have their applications denied. Employees must refile their documents for license renewal at least once every year. All staff members who work on the casino floor must wear identification badges. Only companies registered with the state gaming agency may supply the tribe with gambling equipment, and suppliers must renew their registration annually.
Finally, the compact bars the tribe from admitting armed patrons to the gaming premises. The same restriction applies to players who engage in disorderly conduct or otherwise disturb the peace on the floor. The tribal regulator (MTGC) must maintain a list of individuals barred from entering the gambling facility due to prior gaming-related offenses such as cheating.
Terms of Mashantucket Pequot Compact
The tribal-state compact of the Mashantucket Pequot authorizes approximately the same gambling activities that are allowed at Mohegan Sun. Employee licenses and gaming equipment registrations are likewise required for staff members and equipment suppliers at Foxwoods Resort Casino, and the permits remain valid for only one year. The remaining terms and requirements largely mirror those in the Mohegan tribal-state agreement.
The tribal-state compacts have no fixed expiry dates but remain effective indefinitely unless the two parties choose to terminate them by mutual written agreement. Each tribe maintains a separate gaming council that supervises operations and safeguards their integrity.
In addition, the compacts require non-uniformed representatives of the council to be present on the gaming floor at all times and to report any cases of noncompliance with compact terms. Both councils must consult with the Department of Consumer Protection before authorizing new games or amending existing gaming policies.
Legal Status of Online Gambling
After several false starts, the Connecticut Legislature finally legalized online gambling in May 2021 when HB6451 passed into law as Public Act 21-23. The legislation marked the first major update of local gaming laws since Foxwoods Resort Casino and the Mohegan Sun opened their doors in the 1990s. It ushered in a new era of interactive gaming, bringing legal online sports wagering and online casino games to Connecticuters.
Public Act 21-23 authorized the issuance of three master licenses, one each for the Mohegan Tribe, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, and the state-sanctioned Connecticut Lottery Corporation (CT Lottery). Each entity can operate no more than one online sports wagering skin. The Mohegan Tribe teamed up with FanDuel, the Mashantucket Pequot partnered with DraftKings, and the CT Lottery entered into a partnership with SugarHouse.
Locals can bet on sporting events via websites, dedicated mobile applications, retail locations, or designated betting kiosks at the tribal casino resorts. Bettors who want to place wagers remotely may do so only while located within state borders, although visitors to the Nutmeg State can join the action as well. Geolocation technology verifies each bettor’s location. The minimum age requirement matches the legal drinking age: 21 years old.
Daily fantasy sports also became available to Connecticuters thanks to Public Act 21-23. The act contains restrictive provisions that prohibit sportsbooks from accepting wagers on collegiate events if the participants are from Connecticut colleges or universities. Taking action on high-school games is off-limits as well.
The two tribal operators received authorization to offer regulated interactive casino games, including roulette, baccarat, blackjack, video poker, keno, and slots. The state lottery operator, however, is not permitted to offer remote gaming. Amendments were introduced to the two tribal compacts to allow for the new forms of gambling created by the 2021 legislation.
Responsible Gambling Policies in Connecticut
The minimum age for gambling in Connecticut is the same as that for purchasing alcoholic beverages. Accordingly, Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods cannot admit anyone under 21 to their gambling facilities. Online players face the same restriction and must undergo mandatory age and identity verification during registration. The compact terms also allow both tribal casinos to serve complimentary alcoholic beverages to their patrons.
Responsible Gambling Policies
Advertising Policies and Restrictions
Responsible Gambling Policies
Players who feel they can no longer control their gambling spending may self-exclude from wagering both at land-based casino facilities and online. Voluntary exclusion can last for one year, five years, or permanently.
Mobile sportsbooks must display prominent responsible betting information, including toll-free telephone lines for compulsive gambling assistance. The apps must also clearly show how much time players have spent on the remote sportsbook or casino.
Advertising Policies and Restrictions
All marketing materials must include conspicuous messages that promote responsible gaming, along with phone numbers for problem-gambling helplines. Advertisements may not feature entertainers or celebrities, nor any content likely to appeal to underage viewers.
Naturally, minors themselves cannot appear in the ads. Marketing materials should not portray gambling as a path to personal or social success, and they must not suggest that wagering larger amounts of money will improve a player’s chances of winning.
Gambling Regulators in Connecticut
The Gaming Division of the Department of Consumer Protection is the main watchdog that oversees gambling operations in Connecticut. The Division interacts with the two authorized tribes to ensure all gaming employees have obtained the necessary permits to conduct casino-style games. It also supervises the Connecticut Lottery Corporation to maintain the integrity of state-sanctioned lotteries.
Additionally, each sovereign nation has established its own tribal gaming agency. The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Commission (MTGC) watches over the Mohegan Sun. It is responsible for ensuring all gaming within the tribe’s reservation is conducted in line with the terms of the Mohegan compact. The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Gaming Commission (MPTNGC) exercises regulatory oversight over all gambling operations conducted by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe. Each gaming agency must report to its respective tribal council.
And finally, there is the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC), created under the provisions of IGRA. The NIGC is an independent oversight body that works with the US Departments of the Interior and Justice. The agency oversees all gambling activities in the Class II category as well as certain aspects of Class III gambling.
It provides training and technical assistance to the individual tribal commissions. All tribes must submit their councils’ gaming ordinances to the NIGC for assessment and approval before they can operate any gambling facilities.
Conclusion
Connecticut offers somewhat limited options for land-based gambling, with no commercial casinos and only two tribal casino resorts. On the positive side, the Nutmeg State has expanded online gambling thanks to recent changes in legislation that allow for the legal and regulated provision of remote casino games, sports wagering, and daily fantasy contests. Judging by initial results, Connecticut is set to become a strong competitor on the interactive gambling scene. The state collected $1.7 million in tax revenue during the first month of regulated online sports betting and casino gaming alone.
