Tribal Casinos in Connecticut — The Complete Guide

The Connecticut model, in one paragraph

Connecticut tribal gaming is structurally elegant: two federally recognized tribes, two flagship destination resorts, two parallel MOUs with the state. The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation operates Foxwoods Resort Casino under a 1991 Memorandum of Understanding; the Mohegan Tribe operates Mohegan Sun under a 1994 MOU. Both agreements require each tribe to pay 25% of slot machine revenue to the state — the highest exclusivity fee in the United States — in exchange for Class III gaming exclusivity. The framework predates standard tribal-state compact practice (Connecticut's MOUs predate most other states' compacts by years), and it has proven durable across four decades of administrations from both parties. In 2021, the framework was extended via amendment to authorize mobile sports betting and online casino through partnerships with DraftKings (Mashantucket) and FanDuel (Mohegan).

Foxwoods Resort Casino — Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation

Foxwoods Resort Casino, on the Mashantucket Pequot reservation in southeastern Connecticut, was the first tribal gaming property to demonstrate the destination-resort model at scale. When it opened in February 1992, it instantly became one of the largest casinos in the Western Hemisphere. More than three decades later, it remains in that conversation. Property details:

• Total gaming floor: approximately 344,000 square feet across multiple connected casinos (Grand Pequot, Great Cedar, Rainmaker, Foxwoods Casino, the MGM Grand at Foxwoods extension)
• Slot machines: 4,800+
• Table games: 250+
• Hotel rooms: 2,200+ across multiple towers
• Online & sports betting partner: DraftKings (DraftKings Sportsbook, DraftKings Casino at Foxwoods)
• Notable features: Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center (the tribe's cultural institution), Lake of Isles golf course (TPC), Foxwoods Highland Tower, Two Trees Inn

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation has operated Foxwoods since opening, with the property serving as the tribe's primary economic engine. Net gaming revenue funds tribal government operations, member services, healthcare, education, and economic development programs.

Mohegan Sun — Mohegan Tribe

Mohegan Sun, on the Mohegan Tribe's reservation in Uncasville (about 12 miles from Foxwoods), opened in October 1996 and quickly established itself as Foxwoods's primary competitor and a destination property in its own right. Property details:

• Total gaming floor: approximately 310,000 square feet across three themed casinos (Sky Casino, Casino of the Earth, Casino of the Wind)
• Slot machines: 5,000+
• Table games: 250+
• Hotel rooms: 1,200+ across two towers (Sky Hotel, Earth Hotel)
• Online & sports betting partner: FanDuel (FanDuel Sportsbook, FanDuel Casino at Mohegan Sun)
• Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment (MGE): the Mohegan Tribe's commercial subsidiary that also operates properties beyond Connecticut — Mohegan Pennsylvania (Wilkes-Barre/Plains), Niagara Falls Casino (Ontario, Canada), and Inspire Entertainment Resort (Incheon, South Korea, opened 2023).

Mohegan Sun's three-named-casino architecture, themed around natural elements, was a deliberate design contrast to Foxwoods's compound layout. The Sun is the major-headliner concert destination in southeastern Connecticut (Mohegan Sun Arena seats 10,000 and regularly hosts top touring acts).

Connecticut's 2021 online gaming and sports betting framework

Connecticut's House Bill 6451, signed by Governor Ned Lamont in May 2021, was one of the more thoughtful state online-gaming authorizations of the post-Murphy era. The framework recognized the existing tribal exclusivity, gave each tribe a path to mobile and online operations, and created a single non-tribal slot for the Connecticut Lottery. Specifics:

• Three mobile sports book operators: Mashantucket Pequot (DraftKings-branded), Mohegan Tribe (FanDuel-branded), and the Connecticut Lottery (Rush Street Interactive / SportsBook RI partnership).
• Two online casino operators: Mashantucket Pequot (DraftKings Casino) and Mohegan Tribe (FanDuel Casino). The Connecticut Lottery does not operate online casino.
• Retail sports books at Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun, and at Connecticut Lottery–operated retail locations
• State revenue share on online casino starts at 18% of gross gaming revenue (escalating to 20% in 2026 and beyond). Sports betting tax is 13.75%.

Through the first three years, the framework has performed strongly. Connecticut's online casino market consistently ranks among the top three in the U.S. by per-capita revenue (behind New Jersey and Michigan); mobile sports betting handle has grown each year. Both tribes have invested significantly in product development through their commercial partners.

The Settlement Acts: the historical foundation

Connecticut tribal gaming is unusual among U.S. tribal gaming jurisdictions because its federal foundation predates the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Two separate Settlement Acts of Congress — one for each tribe — provide the underlying federal recognition and reservation status that subsequent gaming operations rest on.

The Mashantucket Pequot Indian Land Claims Settlement Act of 1983 (Public Law 98-134) resolved the tribe's land claims against the State of Connecticut and federally restored the Mashantucket Pequot reservation. The Settlement Act was the product of years of litigation and negotiation between the tribe, the state, and adjacent landowners. It set the foundation for the 1991 MOU and the 1992 opening of Foxwoods.

The Mohegan Nation of Connecticut Land Claims Settlement Act of 1994 performed the same function for the Mohegan Tribe. It established the reservation on which Mohegan Sun was subsequently built, and it shaped the 1994 MOU under which the property still operates.

Both Settlement Acts are referenced regularly in federal Indian-law scholarship as paradigms of negotiated land-claims resolution. They also explain why Connecticut tribal gaming did not require IGRA-process compact negotiation in the way most other states' tribal gaming did.

Revenue sharing and economic impact

Connecticut's 25% slot-revenue exclusivity fee is the highest in any tribal-state arrangement in the United States. (For comparison: Oklahoma's exclusivity fees range from 4% to 6% on electronic games; California's compact-defined fees are typically lower; Florida's 2021 compact starts at 13.75%.) The 25% rate reflects both the early-1990s negotiation environment, in which casino monopolies were valued highly, and the fact that Connecticut's exclusivity area is one of the most lucrative gaming markets in the country (the New York City metro area is within driving distance).

Total payments to the State of Connecticut from the two tribes have totaled more than $9 billion since 1992 — funding the General Fund, the Connecticut Special Revenue Fund, and various state-program designations. Recent annual figures: approximately $250 million from slot revenue share, plus $50–80 million from the 2021 online-gaming and sports-betting frameworks.

Direct employment at the two properties totals approximately 18,000 people. Indirect impact on the regional southeastern Connecticut economy — hospitality, restaurants, retail, services — adds tens of thousands more. The two casinos are among the largest single employers in the state.

Who regulates what

• Mashantucket Pequot Gaming Commission — the tribe's TGRA; day-to-day regulator of Foxwoods.
• Mohegan Tribal Gaming Commission — the tribe's TGRA; day-to-day regulator of Mohegan Sun.
• National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) — federal regulator. Approves ordinances, audits MICS compliance.
• Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection — Gaming Division — state-level regulator with compact/MOU-defined oversight, including vendor licensure, surveillance audit (Connecticut state police conduct on-property surveillance audits — an unusual state-tribal arrangement), and online-gaming compliance.
• Connecticut Lottery Corporation — separately operates the state's sports-betting and lottery products.

Recent Connecticut tribal gaming news

• Connecticut online casino market hits new monthly revenue high
• Tribal gaming generated $138B in total economic output in 2025 — Connecticut portion analyzed
• Continuous coverage of Connecticut policy, properties, and Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment in our News section

Frequently asked questions

How many tribal casinos are there in Connecticut?

Two: Foxwoods Resort Casino, operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation; and Mohegan Sun, operated by the Mohegan Tribe. Both are large destination resort casinos located in southeastern Connecticut, about 12 miles apart.

What is the difference between Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun?

Both are large destination resort casinos in southeastern Connecticut owned by separate sovereign tribal nations. Foxwoods (Mashantucket Pequot, opened 1992) was the first major tribal destination resort in the country. Mohegan Sun (Mohegan Tribe, opened 1996) is part of a larger commercial portfolio managed by Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment, which also operates properties in Pennsylvania, Niagara Falls Ontario, and South Korea. For online gaming, Foxwoods partners with DraftKings; Mohegan Sun partners with FanDuel.

Can I bet on sports online in Connecticut?

Yes. Connecticut authorized mobile sports betting in 2021 (HB 6451). Three operators offer mobile sports betting: DraftKings Sportsbook (through the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation), FanDuel Sportsbook (through the Mohegan Tribe), and SportsBook RI / Rush Street Interactive (through the Connecticut Lottery). The two tribal operators also offer online casino; the Lottery does not.

Which Connecticut casino is bigger?

Foxwoods has slightly more total floor area (~344,000 sq ft) than Mohegan Sun (~310,000 sq ft). Mohegan Sun has historically had higher gross gaming revenue. Both rank among the largest casinos in the Western Hemisphere. Visitors often describe Foxwoods as larger-feeling because of its multiple connected casinos, while Mohegan Sun's three-themed-casino design feels more compact.

How much do Connecticut tribes pay the state?

Under the 1991 and 1994 MOUs, each tribe pays 25% of slot machine revenue to the State of Connecticut in exchange for Class III gaming exclusivity — the highest exclusivity fee in any U.S. tribal-state arrangement. Total annual payments are approximately $250 million from slot revenue, plus additional revenue share from online casino (18–20%) and sports betting (13.75%) under the 2021 framework.

Is Connecticut's compact different from other states?

Yes. Connecticut tribal gaming operates under Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) rather than formal IGRA tribal-state compacts. The 1991 (Mashantucket Pequot) and 1994 (Mohegan) MOUs predate standard compact practice and have proven durable across four decades. Federal courts have treated them as functionally equivalent to compacts. The 2021 online-gaming and sports-betting authorization was added via amendment to the existing MOUs rather than through a new compact framework.

What was the Mashantucket Pequot Indian Land Claims Settlement Act?

The 1983 federal statute (Public Law 98-134) that resolved the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe's land claims against Connecticut, federally restored the tribe's reservation, and provided the underlying recognition that made the 1991 MOU and Foxwoods possible. A similar Settlement Act for the Mohegan Tribe followed in 1994. Both statutes are studied in federal Indian law as paradigm cases of negotiated tribal-recognition resolution.

How does Connecticut compare to other tribal gaming states?

Connecticut is distinctive in four ways. The earliest: Foxwoods (1992) and Mohegan Sun (1996) demonstrated the modern tribal destination-resort model before most other states had operating tribal casinos. The tightest: two tribes, two properties — the most concentrated tribal gaming market in the country. The most lucrative-per-property: two properties generating $1.8B+ in GGR is exceptional density. The most fully developed online market: CT's 2021 online casino + sports betting framework is among the most mature tribally-operated digital markets in the U.S. For comparison, see our California, Oklahoma, and Florida hubs.

Sources & further reading

• Foxwoods Resort Casino
• Mohegan Sun
• Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation
• Mohegan Tribe
• Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection — Gaming Division
• Mashantucket Pequot Indian Land Claims Settlement Act of 1983, Pub. L. 98-134
• Mohegan Nation of Connecticut Land Claims Settlement Act of 1994, Pub. L. 103-377
• Connecticut House Bill 6451 (2021) — online gaming and sports betting authorization
• TribalGaming.com Legal Guide
• TribalGaming.com state hubs: California · Oklahoma · Florida