Connecticut AG in favour of commercial casinos

The Attorney General has advised legislators to take a step forward and test the market for commercial casinos.

US.- Attorney General George Jepsen advised legislators on Thursday to consider and test the market for opening Connecticut to commercial casinos. He believes that commercial casinos would not jeopardise the US$160 million in slots revenue that the state expects to collect in 2018 from the exclusivity deal signed with tribal owners Mohegan Tribe and Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, owners of Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino.

The written testimony was submitted before the legislature’s Public Safety and Security Committee. “Whether to go forward with the proposed legislation is, in my view, strictly a policy decision,” Jepsen wrote. “As a legal matter, however, it is my opinion that the proposed legislation would not run afoul of our existing agreements with the Tribes.”

If the market is opened to commercial operators it would be a huge step forward for MGM, which has been in a legal battle for more than three years, as it’s building a casino in Springfield. The tribes sued the company as they believe that the neighbouring casino jeopardises the operations in Connecticut and violates the exclusivity agreement with the state.