It sounds like an agreement to allow legal sports betting in Connecticut might be just days away.
Gov. Ned Lamont said negotiations with the Mashantucket Pequot are at the “one-tenth of [the] one-inch line” during a COVID-19 update Monday.
Lamont’s office previously announced a gaming expansion agreement with just the Mohegan Indians. An agreement with both tribal gaming operators is necessary to move forward with CT sports betting and iGaming.
That two-sided announcement left Mashantucket Pequot chairman Rodney Butler and others a bit upset, though it appears differences are nearly settled.
Connecticut sports betting announcement this week?
There seem to be two disagreements that prevented the Mashantucket Pequot, which operates Foxwoods, from agreeing when the Mohegan did.
The first was a dispute over the iGaming tax, though that is now settled. Chief of Staff Paul Mounds said there is a “firm agreement” in place with all parties on that.
The Mashantucket Pequot brought up an unspecified second issue in negotiations, which the tribe is discussing with the Mohegan, Mounds said. Those talks should lead to “some progressive and very positive news,” he added.
“We look forward to be able to unveil the full plan in the coming days,” Mounds said.
Details of CT gaming expansion agreement
It is unclear what Mounds means by the “full plan” since the details were given when the governor’s office announced the agreement with the Mohegan:
- Sports betting revenue will be taxed at 13.75%. Mohegan partnered with Kambi for sports betting two years ago while the Mashantucket Pequot announced a deal with DraftKings in December.
- The Connecticut Lottery can operate 15 retail sports betting locations and one online betting skin. That includes two new sports betting venues in Bridgeport and Hartford.
- Sportech can get involved as well should the Lottery choose to sub-license some of those retail spots to the OTB operator.
- The iGaming tax was announced at 20%. It is unclear if that will change given that was an issue with the Mashantucket Pequot.
“I wouldn’t say that it was one side or another” that won that negotiation, Mounds said.
