Tribes see another decline in slot machine revenues in Connecticut

Thursday, November 15, 2018  

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Mohegan Tribe continue to see declines in slot machine revenues at their casinos in Connecticut.

Slot revenues at the Pequot-owned Foxwoods Resort Casino were down 10.6 percent in October, when compared to a year prior. Meanwhile, slot revenues at Mohegan Sun were down 10.5 percent.

The declines reflect the growing competition for gaming dollars in New England. A $900 million commercial casino opened in neighboring Massachusetts in late August, a development that the tribes had hoped to counteract by opening a new facility of their own.

But the Trump administration, for reasons that haven't been completely explained, has refused to sign off on both tribes' updated gaming agreements. Only after the tribes went to court did the Bureau of Indian Affairs publish notice of the Mohegan Tribe's agreement in the Federal Register, about 9 months later than required by federal law.

The Pequot Tribe's agreement, however, remains in limbo. The issue remains in litigation in federal court and has been the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Office of Inspector General at the Department of the Interior.

The probe began in April but no results have been released publicly. Some news outlets have speculated that the Inspector General has referred the matter to the Department of Justice for a possible criminal inquiry.

Neither the Inspector General, nor the Department of Justice, however, have commented on the reports, which speculated that Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke might be a target of the inquiry.

The owner of the new casino in Massachusetts is MGM Resorts International. The firm has lobbied the Zinke in hopes of derailing the tribal project.

Conn. Casinos Report Drop In Revenue (WSHU November 15, 2018)
Mohegan Sun, Foxwoods each report slots revenue down 10% (The Norwich Bulletin November 15, 2018)
CT casino revenues continue to fall (Hartford Business November 15, 2018)
Revenues dip at MGM's Massachusetts casino in 2nd month open (The Associated Press November 15, 2018)
With MGM Springfield open, Connecticut slot revenues down 10 percent in October (The Springfield Republican November 15, 2018)
Foxwoods' slots revenue down 10 percent in October (The New London Day November 13, 2018)
Report: CT casinos generate $3.7B economic impact in ‘16 (Hartford Business November 13, 2018)

News reports link Secretary Zinke's criminal woes to tribal gaming (November 1, 2018)
Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation seeks to revive gaming lawsuit (October 17, 2018)
Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation sees setback in case against Trump administration (October 2, 2018)
Tribes see dip in slot machine revenues as rival opens new facility (September 18, 2018)
Tribes see decline in slot machine revenues as they await new arrival (August 15, 2018)
Mashantucket and Mohegan tribes report mixed slot machine revenues (June 19, 2018)
Tribes plan to break ground on long-awaited casino in Connecticut (June 14, 2018)
Trump administration still mum on gaming agreement for Mashantucket Tribe (June 13, 2018)
Trump administration reverses course on tribal gaming agreement in Connecticut (June 4, 2018)
Online gaming also on the table as Connecticut negotiates with tribes (May 24, 2018)
Connecticut governor seeks to negotiate sports betting with tribes (May 22, 2018)
Mashantucket and Mohegan interested in pursuing casinos in Japan (May 16, 2018)
Mohegan Tribe gains sole ownership of $5 billion gaming project in Korea (May 9, 2018)
Non-Indian firm fighting tribes announces earlier opening date for casino (April 26, 2018)
Lawmakers from Connecticut prompted probe into handling of tribal agreements (April 25, 2018)
Tribes welcome probe into Trump administration's handling of gaming agreements (April 23, 2018)
Tribes still facing legal questions in bid for new casino in Connecticut (April 17, 2018)
Trump administration hit for keeping two tribes in Connecticut in the dark (April 6, 2018)
Mohegan Tribe on track to complete convention center at casino (March 29, 2018)
Tribes finally start demolition at site of delayed casino in Connecticut (March 6, 2018)
Tribes still planning to start work on delayed casino in Connecticut (February 28, 2018)
Trump team appears willing to delay tribal casino deal in Connecticut indefinitely (February 6, 2018)
Tribes ready to start initial work on delayed casino in Connecticut (February 2, 2018)
Former Interior Secretary Gale Norton lobbies against tribes' casino (February 1, 2018)