Connecticut was certainly one of the early adopters when it came to casino that is adding in the northeastern United States.

Whenever Foxwoods opened in 1986, the competition that is closest was in Atlantic City, and despite having the opening of Mohegan Sun 10 years later, those two casinos stood out like an island in an area devoid of gambling options.

But times have changed, and some in Connecticut have felt that it is time to expand gambling beyond those two casinos in order to contend with increasing competition in the region.

Regrettably for many who were in favor of such measures, they don’t be to arrive 2015.

Connecticut State Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) announced on Monday that a proposal that could have legalized slot devices outside of the two Indian casinos in their state was dead for the year, putting off a vote on the issue until 2016 during the earliest.

‘While this is a hard spending plan season, Connecticut’s economy continues to recover,’ Duff said. ‘The unemployment price is down, so we continue to grow jobs.

Former Speaker Amann’s notion of putting slot devices at off-track betting sites near the Massachusetts border is not the solution, and any expansion of gaming needs to be done in consultation utilizing the tribes. With that said, this proposition shall not be raised in the Senate.’

Expanded Competition in Region Prompted Calls for Slots

The prospect of expanding slot machines through the state had been raised as a result of the competition that is increasing up in surrounding states.

Massachusetts recently authorized two casinos and a slots parlor, and could well accept a casino that is third this year. New York recently recommended adding three upstate casinos, could decide to suggest a 4th, and might add downstate resorts in the near future.

And other locations like Pennsylvania, Atlantic City, and Rhode Island are all within driving distance for all Connecticut residents as well.

However, there are concerns that adding such slots around the state may maybe not be appropriate. Both the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes (which run the two indigenous American casinos in the Connecticut) operate under revenue-sharing compacts which were agreed to a lot more than 25 years ago.

The tribes must pay 25 percent of their slot revenues to the state; however, they in turn have the exclusive rights to operate such machines under those agreements.

That agreement has been fairly profitable for the continuing state of Connecticut, though revenues have dropped in recent years. Slot revenues peaked for the state back in 2007, once they took in $430 million.

That figure is projected to drop to $267 million in the current year that is fiscal and analysts are predicting that number to fall to $191 million by the 2018 fiscal year, which is the initial year after MGM opens their brand new resort in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Some Lawmakers Think Bill will Still sooner be considered or Later

Previous State Speaker of the House Jim Amann, a Democrat from Milford, said that while he understands why Duff would decide to kill the bill, he still thinks that the concept is eventually something their state will have to think about.

‘It’s about jobs. It’s about revenues. It is about protecting Connecticut revenues,’ Amann said. ‘ This is a fight for the survival of Mohegan Sun, Foxwoods and our parimutuels,’ Amann stated. ‘ I don’t understand why there is certainlyn’t more urgency on this.’

Other legislators have stated that despite Duff’s feedback, it’s still early in the year, and anything could take place within the months in the future.

‘Pitchers and catchers have actuallyn’t even arrived yet,’ said State Representative Stephen Dargan Haven that is(D-West). ‘It’s early in the period.’