Best Casinos in Connecticut

Connecticut. One of America’s most world famous states and the birthplace of the hamburger, frisbee, telephone book, nutmeg and first ever speed limits. Tourists from all over the world flock here every year for its wonderful nature reserves, exquisite food, nightlife, legalized marijuana and of course – casinos. There is a huge gambling community and string of gaming establishments spread out across this state. Among these are the 2 renowned Indian Reservation casinos ‘Mohegan Sun’ and ‘Foxwoods’ in Uncasville, and no adventure to Connecticut would be complete without paying these a visit first!

Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods, are without a doubt the places to immerse yourself if you’re looking to explore Connecticut’s casino culture. These notorious, tribal-gaming establishments have been around since the mid 1980’s and attract roughly 20 million unique visitors every year between them. Owned by the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes; officials say building permission has been granted for a third Indian Reservation casino to be erected, which will be located near East Windsor. It could be a while before it’s finished! So let’s take a look at why Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods are the places to go to in the meantime.

With Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods taking an effortless lead for being the 2 top ranked casinos in Connecticut, what other ones could you look to pay a visit to whilst you’re here? In total, casinos in Connecticut boast more than 12,332 slot and gaming machines, and 917 tables! Many of these establishments have wonderful hotels and accommodation for its guests, plus a plethora of fun activities for the whole family. Finding the one which is right for you should be a breeze – but in case you were looking for a bit of further insight, here are the top 3!

Foxwoods Resort & Casino

The first ever tribal casino and hotel complex. Originally erected in 1983, this gambling giant includes 6 other casinos and the resort covers an overall area of 9,000,000 sq. ft. with 5,500 slot and video machines, as well as 250 table games covering craps, roulette, pai gow, blackjack, bingo, baccarat and poker. There are multiple dining areas throughout the resort, including a two storey arcade for kids and teens, a 4,000 seat performing arts theatre and 2 hotel towers offering a total of 2,226 guest rooms.

Mohegan Sun

Mohegan Sun is the second and largest casino in the state and is operated by the Mohegan Tribe. It houses 364,000 sq. ft. of casino space, offering slot machines, blackjack tables, craps, poker, keno, baccarat and all the top-level industry games. It also features a 12,000 seat-capacity indoor area, a 350-seat cabaret theatre, 300-seat wolf den, 100,000 sq. ft. of function room and events space and 130,000 sq. ft. of shopping and retail space. The casino itself is often praised for its authentic, Native-American themed décor and beautiful art installations, which many say only enhances the experience and really completes the visit to this wonderfully acclaimed casino.

Winners Shoreline Star

Winners in Waterbury is deemed the third best place to get your gaming fix out of all the 19 gambling entities in the state. Although it is not classed as a casino, and isn’t licensed to operate casino style games, it’s considered the best off-track betting venue in the state. Winners homes 2 wagering floors with multiple amenities, which allows you to put money down on horse races, greyhound races and even Jai Alai matches (ball game deriving from Basque pelota). It also has flat screen TV walls, excellent parking facilities and incredibly friendly and helpful staff. So if you don’t fancy anything too full-throttle and would rather gamble in a more intimate and simplistic environment – Winners should definitely be at the top of your priority list!

See All Casinos in Connecticut

Legal forms of gambling in the state of Connecticut include the activity from both Indian Reservation casinos as well as the Connecticut Lottery. Charitable gaming such as bingo, raffles and carnival games are also permitted, however; even if the activity is considered legal, it is completely against the law for a non-profit organization to conduct an event, or operate a casino style establishment without an appropriate permit or license. Horse racing is also a form of legal gambling here, however there are no horse tracks actively operating in Connecticut, according to various sources.

History of Gambling in Connecticut

It is believed that gambling would hardly exist in Connecticut if it wasn’t for the elite presence of the Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods tribal casinos. Before the introduction of the Connecticut Lottery back in 1983, the only form of acceptable gambling at the time was ‘frog and duck’ racing as well as non-profit raffle and bingo games.

Foxwoods was the first establishment to open a bingo hall back in 1983, and at the time, it was the only place exempt from state law due to the self-governing land. It was only during the year 1992 the casino really started to thrive and prosper when table games were officially introduced that same year, followed by slot machines in 1993.

Mohegan Sun came onto the gambling scene a little later, and only officially opened its doors for business back in 1996. Despite arriving on the scene a few years after its equivalent, the casino is today the second most flourishing gaming organization in the whole of Connecticut.

Gambling Laws in Connecticut

Gambling laws in Connecticut can seem a bit like a grey area to many, and a lot of the information and regulations in their official document of gaming laws are often overlooked. In hindsight though, the restrictions aren’t as steep as what you would expect throughout other states in the US. It is only permitted to gamble in the Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Indian Reservation casinos according to state law. This is the agreement that was made in the beginning, so the 2 entities are protected and remain as Connecticut’s exclusive game provider. In exchange for these privileges, the 2 casinos must hand over 25% of their annual revenue. Any gaming activity conducted outside one of these tribal establishments is deemed illegal, unless it is in relation to charitable or non-profitable causes.

Online gambling is considered a big no-no in Connecticut, however; this hasn’t deterred some companies due to the fact there is nothing stated in the legislation of Connecticut Gambling Laws that confirms this. It could quite possibly be due to the fact the document is outdated – but even so, many online gaming firms have taken this as an indication that it is ok to operate their services through the internet. The amount of work which would be involved for amending these rules is too much for the lawmakers here to bother with, hence why online gambling is not really ok… but at the same time nobody is going to say otherwise.

Sports betting in Connecticut is equally as questionable. It IS forbidden according to official legislations, however; it’s also a form of gambling which is being considered for review, as it would generate a very large amount of additional revenue for the state if it were to be decriminalized. The issue is defining if it will only be restricted to the 2 tribes’ casinos, or whether smaller firms will be eligible to apply for a license and open sportsbooks too. Horse track betting and Greyhound racing are the only 2 types of sports betting currently permitted in Connecticut.

Connecticut Gambling Facts

Connecticut is a fantastic state to enjoy an abundance of your favorite slot, poker and table games at the renowned Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods casinos. These 2 huge gaming giants are the only 2 firms in the entire of Connecticut authorized to offer land-based gambling and other forms. Smaller firms outside are only permitted to run bingo and raffles or non-profit activity. But why is this? Let’s take a look at some of the facts behind gambling regulations in Connecticut.

State Revenue

Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun both generate approximately $600 million between them every year. The tribes took more than $100 million in slot machine profit alone in 2017, and 25% of their combined overall revenue is always handed over to the state. This is a condition of the exclusive agreement the tribes have in place in order for them to operate as the only 2 land-based casinos in Connecticut.

Age Restrictions

Some states in America have very strict rules around age requirements for gambling in casinos. In Connecticut, the legal age for gambling is 21 if alcohol is served, and if no alcohol is being served, the minimum age is 18. You can also partake in pari-mutuel bets such as horse track racing or dog racing track if you are aged 18 or above.

Star Presence

The 2 casino giants in Connecticut have welcomed a number of top-shelf, Hollywood celebrities through their doors over the years. These include Alicia Keys, Josh Groban and John Mayer performed for the Grand Opening of the Grand Theater. Other celebs include Sean “Diddy” Combs, Kim Kardashian, Jenny McCarthy, John Secada, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michael Dougles, Tricia Arnold, Salt n Pepa, Nick Cannon, Quincy Jones and a few contestants from America’s Next Top Model.

The 2 casino giants in Connecticut have welcomed a number of top-shelf, Hollywood celebrities through their doors over the years. These include Alicia Keys, Josh Groban and John Mayer performed for the Grand Opening of the Grand Theater. Other celebs include Sean “Diddy” Combs, Kim Kardashian, Jenny McCarthy, John Secada, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michael Dougles, Tricia Arnold, Salt n Pepa, Nick Cannon, Quincy Jones and a few contestants from America’s Next Top Model.