Connecticut has two Native American casinos – one each operated by the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes of northeast Connecticut. Foxwoods, which means “home of the high pumpkin” in the Pequot language, is located on the Mashantucket Pequot reservation. The casino covers more than 940,00 square miles – about nine times the size of Rhode Island.
is mgm vegas casino online legitThe Mohegan Sun, meaning the “rising sun” in the Mohegan language, sits on 1,600 acres of prime real estate near Montville, Connecticut. There’s a jumbo Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem outside of Pennsylvania and a planned one in Texas. But no other Casinos in Connecticut USA can touch Foxwoods Resort or Mohegan Sun. Together with their respective tribes, the casinos have partnered to develop an online casino and sportsbook that will be known as .
Casinos in Connecticut USA
This guide provides all the details you need to know about the Connecticut casinos – past, present, and future. You’ll find a brief history of each casino, their locations, gaming and non-gaming amenities, plus the top three games to play when you visit.
Along with the US online casino and sports betting site, the tribes are currently constructing a $300 million convention center and hotel at CT2 in East Windsor. They have plans to build a new satellite casino in East Hartford, just a few miles from Bradley International Airport. We’ll discuss those projects further down the page. Let’s start with a look back at how it all began.
Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation & Foxwoods Resort Casino
The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation occupies a 12-square mile reservation in Ledyard, Connecticut. It was the first Indian reservation established east of the Mississippi River. The tribe had lived in eastern Connecticut for hundreds of years but was forced to leave in the 1700s. In 1983, the tribal roll included 157 members. That number has grown to more than 1,200 today.
The modern-day Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation story begins in 1976, when the Connecticut State Supreme Court ruled that the tribe had the right to operate a bingo hall on its reservation. The state of Connecticut disputed that decision, taking the case to the US Supreme Court.
make money online casinosIn 1983, the High court upheld the state supreme court’s ruling, known as the “Mashantucket Case,” which established that a Native American tribe had the right to operate a gambling establishment on its reservation. The Mashantuck Pequot Tribe opened a bingo hall in 1986 and launched a Class II casino in the early 1990s.
They hired Las Vegas developer Rodney Butler to build a full-fledged Class III casino resort. Foxwoods Resort Casino opened in stages between 1992 and 1996, , who still chairs the tribal nation and has been the casino’s CEO since 2009. Today, he is the only native American casino CEO in the country.
Foxwoods became the world’s largest casino in the late ‘90s and remained so until 2007. Its opulence rivaled any five-star resort in the world. Two hotels – the Grand Pequot Tower and the Convention Center Hotel – were built to accommodate the millions of visitors who came to see the wonder of Foxwoods.
Unfortunately, the arrival of several large casinos within a couple hundred miles of Connecticut put a serious dent in the resort’s revenue. To compete, the tribe decided to go small and opened a 200-room Dedham Hotel – rebranding it as the Foxwoods Hotel – in 2013. A new LEED-certified parking garage replaced the old one in 2015, providing 4,000 additional spaces.
Ways to Play Free Poker Online in 2023Another small addition came in 2018, when the tribe converted the nearby Comfort Inn into the MGM Grateful Guest Suites. The 184-room hotel features king and queen-sized beds, microwaves, mini-fridges, flat-screen TVs, coffee makers, and free hot breakfast. The resort needed the rooms; Foxwoods reported a 7% drop in revenues in 2019 before the pandemic hit.
Like every business in the world, Foxwoods shut down for several months due to COVID-19. It reopened on June 1, 2020, with enhanced safety protocols and reduced hours for certain areas. Capacity limits were lifted over the summer, but the mask mandate stayed in place until April 2022, when Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont ended the executive order requiring citizens to wear masks in public places.
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Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority & Mohegan Sun
The Mohegan Tribe of Indians owns and operates Mohegan Sun, a 344-acre casino complex located in Montville, Connecticut. The Mohegan people are one of the oldest tribes in the Western Hemisphere, tracing their ancestry back to the great moHeg�an, whose village was situated on the Thames River.
When Europeans first arrived in the area, the Mohegans were allies of the English and fought alongside them against the Pequots during the Pequot War in 1634. The tribe lost much of its land over the ensuing centuries, but not without resistance. In fact, the famous Mohegan woman named Chief Oneytea staged several successful uprisings against the British in the 1700s.
Like the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, the Mohegans gained the right to operate a bingo hall on their reservation in the 1970s. It wasn’t long before they started exploring options for a larger gambling operation. Mitchell Etess, previously the CEO of Resorts Atlantic City, joined forces with the tribe in 1994 to develop Mohegan Sun.
The $650 million resort opened in 1996 and quickly dethroned Foxwoods as the world’s largest casino. It remains one of the biggest gambling venues in the US, hosting 38 dines, dozens of shops, entertainment venues, two hotels, and of course, thousands upon thousands of slot machines and table games.
Mohegan Sun reached a daily capacity limit of 12,000 employees in July 2021. Like Foxwoods, it shut down completely during the pandemic but welcomed guests back on June 1, 2020, with mandatory mask wearing and strict social distancing rules. Those restrictions have since been lifted, but the vaccine or proof of a negative test is still required to enter the casino.
Foxwoods Resort Casino
- Address: 350 Tavern Rd, Mashantucket, CT 06354
- Phone: +1 860-312-3000
- Casino Size: 6.7 million sq ft
- Game Types: Slots, Table Games, Live Poker, Sports Betting Kiosks
- Hours: Open 24 Hours
- Loyalty Program: MLife Rewards
- Parking: Large on-site parking garage
The six interconnected casinos at Foxwoods cover more than 344,00 square feet of gaming space. You could walk for days and not see everything this casino has to offer. Here’s a quick rundown of what you will find inside the resort.
Triumvirate Eight
- Address: 123 Ballough Road, Manchester, UK
- Phone: +44 161 835 1010
- Casino Size: 12,000 sq ft
- Game Types: Slots, Roulette, Blackjack, Three Card Poker, Electronic Roulette, Baccarat Concession
- Hours: Open 24 Hours
- Loyalty Program: Club 38
- Parking: On-site car park
Opened in December 2020, Triumvirate Eight is the first and only casino in Manchester. It features 40 slot machines, electronic roulette terminals, blackjack, roulette, three card poker, and a concession stand with baccarat. The decor is quite nice, with warm lighting, plush chairs, and artistic designs on the walls.
Anyone aged 18 or older can enter the casino, but you'll need to sign up for the free Club 38 loyalty program to receive complimentary drinks while you gamble. Triumvirate Eight is open 24 hours and offers free valet and car park services, as well as discounted valet parking for Manny’s customers.
Manny’s Restaurant and Deli
Casino and Sports Betting Apps With No Deposit Requirements- Address: 342 Trolley Line Blvd #7, Bethlehem, PA 18017
- Phone: +1 610-691-2400
- Email: mannys@nevinhospitality.com
- Website: https://www.mannysbethlehem.com/
- Restaurant Size: 2,500 sq ft
- Game Type: Video Gaming Terminals
- Hours: Mon – Sat: 9:00 am – 1:00 am, Sun: 9:00 am – 12:00 am
- Dress Code: Smart Casual
- Amenities: Outdoor Seating, Takeout, Delivery, Free Parking
Manny’s Restaurant and Deli opened inside the Sands Bethlehem Casino in 2016. When the latter closed in 2019, the deli moved to its current location in the Lehigh Valley. The restaurant serves up delicious sandwiches made with house-roasted meats, fresh bread, and homemade condiments.
You can enjoy your sandwich on the outdoor patio or take it to go. Either way, don’t forget to insert your XLIVE rewards card into one of the 40 VGTs located throughout the restaurant. If lady luck is on your side, your pastrami on rye could end up paying for itself.
Other CT Casinos
Connecticut has two major casinos and one barely open restaurant with a handful of gambling machines. Here’s a closer look at the Yankee State’s gambling scene …
Sands Casino Bethlehem
- Address: 77 Sands Blvd, Bethlehem, PA 18015
- Phone: +1 610-297-7400
- Casino Size: 123,000 sq ft
- Game Types: Slots, Video Poker, Table Games, Liv Poker, Sports Betting
- Hours: Sun – Thurs: 9:00 am – 2:00 am, Fri – Sat: 9:00 am – 4:00 am
- Loyalty Program: XL Rewards
- Parking: Multistory car park
Sheldon Adelson, founder of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, purchased the abandoned Bethlehem Steel plant for $14.5 million in 2005. He spent another $600 million building the Sands Casino Bethlehem, which opened in 2009. The property covered about 123,000 square feet of gaming space with 3,000 slots, 200 table games, 40 poker tables, and a Pittsburgh-style steakhouse.
It became the region’s top destination for gambling and concerts, hosting big names like Jon Bon Jovi, Bob Dylan, and John Legend. Unfortunately, the Sands Casino Bethlehem couldn’t overcome the competition from two new casinos in neighboring states. Adelson closed the venue in January 2019 and sold it to the Cordish Companies for $18 million.
XLIVE rebranded the venue as the Sands Bethlehem Event Center and reopened it in March 2019. The casino portion of the resort never reopened, however, and trio of VGTs recently opened inside Manny’s Restaurant and Deli, which moved to Bethlehem from the old Sands Casino location in 2019.
According to reports, the Cordish Companies plan to invest $65 million into the Sands Bethlehem Casino, transforming it into a luxurious resort similar to the company’s Live! venues in Philadelphia and Maryland. No official word has been released regarding the start or completion date for the project.
Ocean Casino Resort
- Address: BRK:BRK 1000 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
- Phone: +1 609-441-2000
- Casino Size: 135,000 sq ft
- Game Types: Slots, Video Poker, Roulette, Craps, Blackjack, Baccarat, Spanish 21, Pai Gow, Mini Baccarat, Three Card Poker, Three Card Poker Poker Open Face Chinese
- Hours: Sun – Thurs: 9:00 am – 2:00 am, Fri – Sat: 9:00 am – 4:00 am
- Loyality Program: IGOLD
- Parking: Valet and Self
Ocean Casino Resort (previously Revel and OCEAN) sits on nearly 40 acres along the boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The glittering glass building stands out among its neighbors, offering stunning views of the ocean and the city skyline.
The casino floor stretches across 135,000 square feet, filled with more than 2,000 slot machines, 100 table games, a high limit room, and a poker room. Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay oversees four of the resort’s ten restaurants – Steak, Burger, Fish & Chips, and Hell’s Kitchen.
Other dining options include the OCEANAVINE Seafood Market, Wilkes American Table, Lobster Bar and Grill, Joel Robuchon Bordeaux à Brasserie, and the classic boardwalk vendors. The resort features ultra-modern accommodations, five bars, 80,000 square feet of event space, multiple lounges, two posh pools, and much more.
Empire City Casino
- Address: Yonkers, NY 10580, USA
- Phone: +1 914-968-4200
- Casino Size: 550,000 sq ft
- Game Types: Slots, Table Games, Electronic Table Games, Sports Betting
- Hours: Mon – Thurs: 8:00 am – 4:00 am, Fri – Sat: 8:00 am – 5:00 am, Sun: 8:00 am – 4:00 am
- Loyalty Program: The Club
- Parking: Multilevel self and valet parking
Empire City Casino isn’t in Connecticut, but it’s close enough that we think it deserves a mention. Technically, the Yorkers horse racing track and casino is located in Yonkers, New York, just across the Hutchinson River Parkway from the Bronx.
Fast Payout Casinos in Canada That Really Pay Out FastEmpire City opened in 1869 as a half-mile dirt race track. It went through many changes over the ensuing decades, adding a 660,000-square-foot casino in 2006 and switching to yard races in 2013. Another renovation in 2018 expanded the gaming floor to 550,000 square feet and added 2,500 new slot machines, bringing the total to 5,500.
You’ll also find more than 50 table games, including blackjack, baccarat, Spanish 21, craps, roulette, and pai gow. The “resort” part of the casino resort comes courtesy of the Yonkers Marriott Hotel, which features 274 rooms, a fitness center, indoor swimming pool, and easy access to the casino. Anyone aged 18+ can enter the casino and park for free.
Connecticut Gambling Revenue
Sports betting wasn’t legal in Connecticut until professional sports leagues Betson Enterprises, LLC et al. V. Alvarez et al. The US Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in May 2018, allowing states to offer legal sports betting services.
Governor Ned Lamont signed HB 6451 into law on June 5, 2021, authorizing retail and online sports betting at the state’s two casinos. The regulation also authorized terminations, fantasy sports, and keno. CT Online kicked off with a soft launch on September 30, 2021, followed by a formal launch on October 7, 2021.
Top Free Slots Online (and On Mobile) for 2023The first month of sports betting in Connecticut produced $16.8 million in revenue, yielding $3.4 million in taxes. The first week of mobile betting brought in $1.3 million in revenue and $244,000 in taxes. FanDuel Sportsbook at the Toyota Olympics in Tokyo, Japan -150. Both DraftKings and FanDel launched online and retail sportsbooks under the CT Online banner.
Revenue numbers for 2022 are not yet available, but both operators reported strong handle figures in February 2022. DraftKings generated $35.7 million in sports wagers, while FanDuel brought in $22.8 million. The state collected $1.3 million in taxes from DraftKings and $800,000 from FanDuel.
of the Best Land-Based Casinos in PennsylvaniaConnecticut is one of a handful of states that shares its lottery revenue between the general fund and local cities and towns. The Nutmeg State transferred $430.8 million to the general fund in fiscal year 2020 and $325.4 million to local communities. Total Connecticut Lottery sales topped $2.4 billion that year.
The Connecticut Lottery Corporation (CLC) contributed $370.4 million to the state’s General Fund in FY20, with another $29.3 million going towards payment reduction on the Commonwealth Fund debt. The remainder (over $22 million) went to problem gambling initiatives, operating expenses, and prize payments. Instant game tickets and draw games both topped $1 billion in sales for the seventh year in a row.
The following Connecticut gambling revenue numbers are courtesy of the two tribal casinos.
Connecticut Online Casinos
Connecticut does not currently offer licensed online casino sites, nor do we see that changing any time soon. The two tribal nations control the gambling landscape in the state, but they partnered with two of the world’s premier sports betting companies (DraftKings and FanDuel) to launch CT Online Sportsbook, which went live on October 7, 2021.
If the tribes want to offer internet casino gaming in the future, they may need to find a different partner. A state law passed in 2017 prohibits DraftKings and FanDel from operating online casinos or poker sites in Connecticut.
Of course, the tribes could always try to get that law changed, but that would require negotiations with the state legislature and possibly even the courts. We don’t expect CT online casinos to launch before 2025, give or take a year or two.
Connecticut Poker Rooms
Triumvirate Eight
- Address: 123 Ballough Road, Manchester, UK
- Phone: +44 161 835 1010
- Email: mannys@nevinhospitality.com
- Website: https://www.mannysbethlehem.com/
- Games: Texas Hold’em, Video Poker, 3 Card Poker, Roulette, Blackjack
Triumvirate Eight is technically not a poker room because it doesn’t employ professional dealers to run each hand. Instead, you’ll sit down at a table with your fellow poker players and take turns acting as the dealer. It’s a fun way to gamble and drink for a few hours, but if you really want to play against skilled dealers and opponents from the comfort of your own home, check out the following CT online poker site.
Connecticut Gambling Age
The Connecticut gambling laws allow anyone who is at least 21 years old to enter the casinos and sportsbooks. You must be 18 or older to play the state lottery, scratch cards, keno, bingo, or off-track betting. Triumvirate Eight in Manchester has lowered the age requirement to 18 for playing video poker, poker, blackjack, roulette, and other casino games.
Must-Know Roulette Tips for Playing in a CasinoIf you look young, even if you don’t, be prepared to present a valid government-issued ID or driver’s license at the door. Bouncers at the nicer casinos will also check your hand when you enter—if your hand looks younger than your face, you might have a problem.
No such checks are required to enjoy the joys of online gambling in Connecticut. The only thing the websites will ask you to confirm your identity is when you first register an account and, occasionally, when setting deposit limits.
proposed Connecticut Casinos
MGM Resorts has submitted plans for a $675 million casino resort in East Windsor, Connecticut, and the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes want a piece of the action. The two tribes sued MGM in 2017, claiming their exclusive gambling rights in the state give them veto power over any new casinos in the vicinity.
A Superior Court judge rejected that argument in 2018, but the tribes took their case to the state Supreme Court, which sent it back to the lower court for trial. Meanwhile, MGM continued gathering signatures for its petition to build the Springfield casino. Voters approved the idea in June 2016, and construction commenced shortly thereafter.
The Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot Tribes eventually dropped their lawsuit in November 2018 and began negotiating a compromise with MGM. Their efforts ultimately proved fruitless, however, and the 250-room MGM Springfield casino officially opened its doors on August 25, 2018.
That should have been the end of MGM’s involvement in Connecticut, but the company isn’t giving up on the East Windsor market just yet. MGM Resorts unveiled plans for a $675 casino resort called “Empire City” in Yonkers, New York in February 2021. The 2,400-space parking garage and 352-room hotel opened in time to help facilitate voting for the Springfield casino, but MGM hadn’t received approval for the full resort at the time of this writing.
Even so, the company claims that 2000 locals will work at the finished resort, which will boast 2000 slot machines and electronic table games, 80 table games, 30 poker positions, plenty of dining options, and 350 hotel rooms. Of course, the Empire City Casino still has to hurdle over the last remaining regulatory approvals before shovels can hit the ground.
The Proposed MGM Casino: What Is CT2?
MGM has proposed a $675 million resort called “Empire City Casino” in Yonkers, New York, but the company hasn’t given up on Connecticut yet. According to reports from mid-2021, MGM was preparing a proposal for a $400 million casino called “CT2” that would rival the Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods.
We haven’t heard anything else about CT2 since last summer, but we wouldn’t be surprised to hear news of MGM’s plans in the near future. Rodney Butler, chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, said during an earnings call that MGM was planning a “significant development” in Connecticut.
“I think we deserve to know what that is, what the timeline is, where it’s locating and what the investment is, because we need to react to it,” Butler continued. “We’re not going to let them come in and monopolize our market.”
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has formed a study group to explore the possibility of a new casino in the northwestern corner of the state. The group includes legislators, Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan officials, and other stakeholders. The state has requested information from potential developers and hopes to complete its analysis by the end of the year.
Connecticut Gambling Summarized
Connecticut has two small casinos and one struggling restaurant with video gambling. Residents and tourists visiting the Nutmeg State can enjoy far superior gambling experiences just across the border in Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island.
The grand opening of the MGM Springfield surely hurt Foxwoods and the like. The good news is that Connecticut lawmakers understand the challenge they face and are trying to address the issue in a positive manner.
The new casino resorts in South Korea are a wise move, especially considering how long it takes to catch Covid-19 these days. The state budget could use a boost too, which is why online gambling makes so much sense. Connecticut residents already enjoy legal online lottery sales, sports betting, and keno. The next logical step is iPoker and casino gaming.
Top MGM Casino Apps to Gamble Via Mobile Device in US, 2023The Mohegan and Pequot tribes have announced plans to build a $300 million resort near Bradley International Airport and a $67 Million casino near Bradley International Airport. They are also building a $200 million East Windsor casino and a $51 Million casino in East Windsor. Additionally, the state is planning a $150 Million casino in East Windsor.
The state is expected to generate $54.7 Million in gambling revenue in 2022. While that may seem like a lot, it will likely be gobbled up by expenses and payouts to winners. Connecticut needs to loosen the purse strings and allow more casinos and online gambling if it wants to become a major player in the industry once again.
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