On June 14th, 2009, in what could be classified as a battle of press releases, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and Governor Jodi Rell are fighting it out over a proposal to offer keno in Connecticut to improve state revenues. The Connecticut Council on Problem Gaming also made an appearance on the issue.
The Republican governor proposed on May 29th, 2009 offering keno games across Connecticut to help solve the $8 billion budget deficit over the next two years. Rell's office projected that the new state sponsored keno game would provide $60 million in revenue annually for the general fund. Democratic officials immediately ask the legal opinion of Blumenthal on the issue.
Representative Stephen Dargan, co-chairman of the Public Safety which handles gaming said in his letter to Blumenthal said that Governor Rell has released a modified budget where she recommended approving keno. Dargan and several legislators have been holding talks on this matter. Dargan said they need Blumenthal's opinion on whether keno is classified as a lottery game or will it affect Connecticut's gaming compact with the Mashantucket Pequot tribe and the Mohegan tribe.
The Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling also criticize Rell's gaming proposal because it is an idea born out of desperation. On June 1st, 2009, Blumenthal said that Rell's proposal could risk losing the more than $400 million paid to the state annually by the Mohegan Tribe and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe from slot machines at the Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino respectively.
The tribal compacts give the state twenty-five percent of the slot machine proceeds. Blumenthal urged lawmakers to change Connecticut's compact with the tribes before introducing keno. He said that the current law is not clear and the courts are divided on whether keno is a lottery game or not. Attorney General Blumenthal added that the Governor's proposal is classified as a lottery game and that the proposal is not specific about the type of keno game that the state will offer.
But Governor Rell said that there should be no doubt that keno can be offered a lottery game because during the 2005 issue over the "PlayAway" game offered by Foxwoods Casino, Attorney General Blumenthal classified keno as a "lottery-type game". Around 14 states offer the game including Rhode Island and New York. Rell said that she always intended to make sure that they will proceed on the issue in a way that protects the state's gaming compact with the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribe.
Gov. Rell added that they will make sure that keno will be offered in Connecticut in a responsible manner including recognizing the signs of gaming addiction. The Mashantucket Pequot tribe said that they have not studied Governor Rell's keno proposal so they will refrain from commenting on the issue for the mean time.
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John M. Thorpe
