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January 21, 2020

Ritter: Growing momentum for sports betting in upcoming session

Photo | Flickr/Daniel Ramirez A sports book at MGM Grand casino in Las Vegas.
By Matt Pilon

After two years of failed attempts to strike a deal on legalizing sports betting in Connecticut, House Majority Leader Matt Ritter says he’s optimistic the third time will be the charm.

Ritter (D-Hartford) says he’s watched as New Jersey, Rhode Island, New York and other states have seized upon the revenue-generating opportunity granted to them by a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision that cleared the way for legalized betting across the country.

Matt Ritter, House Majority Leader, (D-Hartford)

"We're all frustrated because other states have beaten us to it,” Ritter said in an interview. “It's revenue that I think there's no reason for us to bypass, and it's an economic development tool for the tribal casinos as well as potential sites that may be off the reservation."

According to a running tally on LegalSportsReport.com, Rhode Island has generated more than $8 million for its state coffers since launching sports betting in late 2018. It has since launched mobile wagering.

Meanwhile, Pennsylvania has booked more than $27 million in tax revenue as of Dec. 31, 2019.

Connecticut has not been able to move as quickly due to its longstanding gaming compact with the state’s two casino-operating tribes. The Mashantucket Pequots and the Mohegans have argued that sports betting is a casino game, which means they should have rights to it in Connecticut. 

Some, including Ritter, disagree with that, but he said he sees the reality of the situation.

“You could be in court for a long time arguing that,” he said. ”The question is ‘do you want to do it the hard way or do you want to cut a deal?’ ”

Former Gov. Dannel Malloy sought to renegotiate the gaming compact in 2018, but the effort was ultimately unsuccessful.  

Gov. Ned Lamont pushed for a grand bargain with the tribes last year that included sports wagering, online betting and a third casino, but the tribes rejected the deal.

“I think there's more momentum this year to really consider it long and hard, and I hope we can get to a deal with the tribes,” Ritter said.

Lamont reopened talks with the tribes back in December, and expressed optimism about the prospects of a simpler bargain that doesn’t include a third casino, the Hartford Courant reported.

Just how far those talks have progressed isn’t clear. Asked for an update, Lamont spokesman Max Reiss said the administration wants to keep talking.

“The administration has had discussions with the tribes over the past month and views 2020 as a key time to get moving on legalizing sports betting,” Reiss said. “We want to continue those discussions, as it is important for the state not to be left out of this new opportunity.”

In separate statements to HBJ, Rodney Butler, chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Nation, and Mohegan Tribal Chairman James Gessner Jr. didn’t provide specifics about the status of the talks, but each said they plan to work with lawmakers to expand the state’s gaming economy in order to bring in jobs and revenue.

Butler said he’s “very optimistic” about the upcoming session, which begins in two weeks.

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