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OCTOBER 2, 2000

A commentary written by a newspaper editor and published in today's New London Day says the state of Connecticut should open up the gaming industry to everyone, not just what he calls "contrived tribes."

According to Chris Powell, the state had no "separate indigenous nations or cultures" before Indian gaming. Powell says people who claim Indian ancestry and attempt to gain federal recognition only do so for the chance to open a casino.

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, the Mohegan Tribe, the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation, the Eastern Pequot Tribe, and the Golden Hill Paugussett Tribe, all began their federal recognition attempts before gaming became a driving force, however. Federal recognition guidelines were instituted in 1978.

Powell says the state can use the threat of other casinos to get a bigger share of the revenues from the Mashantucket and Mohegan casinos. Currently, 25 percent of slot machine revenue goes to the state.

Should the state attempt to re-negotiate its gaming compacts and ask for a larger share, whether or not the Department of Interior would accept them is up for question. Their position on New Mexico's gaming compacts, which ask for 16 percent of all casino revenues, is that they violate the Indian Gaming Regulatatory Act (IGRA) of 1998.

Powell also says the two tribes would want to preserve their "duopoly." Both tribes say they welcome more casinos and gaming analysts say the market in Connecticut will continue to grow.

Get the Story:
COMMENTARY: State Hardly Needs Indians To Overflow with Casinos (The New London Day 10/1)