Compacts | Connecticut | Legislation

Mohegan Tribe calls on state to ban Internet sweepstakes cafes

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

The Mohegan Tribe called on lawmakers in Connecticut to ban Internet sweepstakes cafes.

James Meskill, the director of the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Commission, told lawmakers that the cafes violate the exclusivity provisions in the Class III gaming compact. If they are not outlawed, he said the Mohegan Tribe and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation won't be required to share 25 percent of slot machine revenues with the state.

According to NBC Connecticut, two Internet cafes were recently shut down by authorities while a third closed its doors. Senate Bill 80 ensures such facilities are illegal. In related news, lawmakers are moving to repeal Keno games. If the games were implemented, the tribes might have entered into agreements to reduce their share of slot machine revenues.

Get the Story:
Internet Sweepstakes Could Cost State Hundreds of Millions (NBC Connecticut 3/4)
Connecticut VFW commander wants Keno to stay in budget (The Norwich Bulletin 3/5)
Support grows for repealing Keno (The New London Day 3/5)