Online gambling is coming, whether or not Connecticut wants it to.
That was the message Gov. Dannel Malloy attempted to get across during an impromptu press conference on the subject Monday.
And Malloy was not shy about his distaste for gambling in general.
“I grew up in an America where there was one place to gamble,” Malloy said. “And I kinfd of like that America.”
But, like it or not, online gambling is on its way. Malloy said there is no indication that Congress will try to block a recent legal opinion on the wire act made by the Department of Justice that opens the door to gambling online, be it lottery or online poker.
“Internet gaming is coming to Connecticut,” Malloy said. “We’re going to have Internet gambling … in all 50 states. You don’t stop the Internet at any state’s borders.”
Both of the state’s two casinos have been getting into the fray, suggesting that they might want a piece of the pie. Should the state want to tax it, or limit it, though, the compact with the tribes that guarantees them exclusivity (and a 25 percent cut on all video slots) will most likely have to be reopened.
So the question might be if Internet poker is considered akin to video slots, which could lead to a court case, similar to the case that, under the Weicker administration, created the compact in the first place.
But, whatever happens, it’s gotta happen soon, Malloy said. New Jersey may be on the verge of passing legislation, and the governor said his own recommendations on the subject won’t be too far behind, though he declined to give any details.