Last week, Governor Ned Lamont signed House Bill 6451 into law, making online casino and poker games, as well as online sports betting legal in Connecticut.
The news is essential for the poker community in the Constitution State, especially as online poker is often excluded from the online gaming legislation. Following the Governor’s signature, Connecticut has become the sixth US state to make online casinos legal and the seventh one to have regulated online poker.
The law also allows fantasy contests, in-person and online keno, and online lottery.
Changes in the Tribal Compact
Now that the new legislation has been approved, we’re about to see changes in the Mohegan Tribe’s and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe’s Class III gaming compact. The two tribes own and operate the Mohegan Sun Casino and the Foxwoods gambling venue.
The new tribal offer will include all forms of online gaming, including poker, although it remains to be seen how they will offer it. Many believe they will opt for an in-house operation based on a proprietary platform.
Others, however, think the tribes will partner with one of the leading online poker operators, such as partypoker or PokerStars. Whatever their choice may be, there is no information about what the tribes plan to do.
Looking Forward to the Future
One thing is sure. Entering the newly regulated market in Connecticut will undoubtedly be appealing to major operators like PokerStars. Many leading brands will likely give their best to partner with the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes in the coming period, and we’re eager to see who’ll they be.
Commenting on the law, Governor Lamont said the new piece of legislation would allow the state to provide a modern and technologically advanced experience to customers.
He pointed out that this gaming experience would be competitive with the one currently offered by neighboring states, allowing Connecticut to position itself in the market successfully.
Awaiting the Bureau’s Approval
However, nothing is done yet. Although the bill has been signed into law, there are certain legal matters to be resolved.
The amendments made to the existing tribal compact need to be greenlighted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, a federal agency within the US Department of Interior. Only when it approves these changes will the two Connecticut tribes be able to think about setting up the new service.
Both tribes are looking forward to getting the necessary approval from the corresponding agency, as they’ll need time to prepare the new service. According to their representatives, all tribal members and state residents will benefit from the new online offering.
The Chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot tribe Rodney Butler said gaming wasn’t just business for the tribe. He explained the new services would help bring more money into the tribal coffers. That way, they will fund its government, invest in children’s education, and improve care for the elderly. Butler also added that funds would be used to provide healthcare to members of the tribe.