M
ohegans’ amended gaming compact was published in the Federal Register on Wednesday, marking approval by the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs. As a result, the Mohegan Tribe has now been granted federal authorization to offer online and on-site sports wagering and online casino gaming in the state of Connecticut.
Max Reiss, a spokesman for Gov. Ned Lamont, affirmed on Wednesday that sports wagering will launch in the state in October, reports TheDay. “All operations will start at the same time,” said Reiss.
A similar notice of approval is expected on the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe’s amended gaming agreement with the state. “We’re continuing to work through licensing details with the state Department of Consumer Protection, and waiting on the Department of Interior to publish its approvals,” said on Tuesday Rodney Butler, Mashantucket Pequot Chairman.
The two tribes, in addition to the Connecticut Lottery Corp., will be the three sole entities allowed to offer sports wagering in the state. The lottery cannot offer iGaming.
The Mohegans (Mohegan Sun Casino) have partnered with FanDuel, while the Mashantucket Pequots (Foxwoods Casino) have an agreement with DraftKings. The Connecticut Lottery selected last month Rush Street Interactive as its partner.
Before operations can launch, the state’s Department of Consumer Protection must first issue licenses to the three entities and oversee an independent audit of their online applications to ensure they comply with regulations.
“None of that has been completed yet,” said Reiss. “No one is ready to start tomorrow.” Moreover, operators must first send the department a request to go live, alerting them 10 days in advance of when they want to go live. This will be followed by a seven-day soft-launch period.
“It is anticipated that sports wagering and online gaming will be available for Connecticut residents in October,” claimed the governor’s office in a September 9 statement, jointly issued with the tribes. The fourth week of the NFL season will be the first to take place in October.
According to Gov. Ned Lamont, securing federal approval is a “critical step” in the process of modernizing Connecticut’s gaming landscape to ensure that the state will have a “competitive, nation-leading” marketplace for wagering both in-person and online.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international//noticias/2021/09/17/59332-mohegan-tribe-granted-federal-authorization-to-offer-sports-betting-in-connecticut
