Could a charity sell gambling tickets for a casino night at Foxwoods?

Plain-English summary

In May 2003, the AG clarified an earlier opinion allowing the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe to run a casino night at Foxwoods for a Connecticut charity. Although the charity could receive proceeds, it could not sell tickets to the gambling portion after the state's repeal of charitable Las Vegas Nights. The tribe had to sell the gambling tickets and chips and operate the games with its own personnel and equipment.

The charity could sell tickets to a separate dinner, dance or other part of the event without casino-type gaming. The clarification preserved the distinction between a tribe-run event and a charity conducting prohibited games itself.

Currency note

This opinion was issued in 2003. Subsequent statutory amendments, court decisions, or later AG opinions may have changed the analysis. Treat this page as historical context, not current legal advice. Verify current law before relying on any specific rule, deadline, or remedy mentioned here.

Charities at the time

The opinion allowed ticket sales for nongambling event portions, while barring charity sales of admission to the casino games.

Tribe and casino staff at the time

The tribe had to sell the gaming tickets and chips and run the gambling portion for the benefit of the charity.

Common questions

Q: Could a charity sell entry to the Foxwoods casino games it benefited from?
A: No. The AG said the tribe had to sell tickets to the gambling portion and sell the chips.

Q: Could the charity sell dinner tickets at the same fundraiser?
A: Yes. The opinion allowed sales for separate nongambling activities, including a dinner or dance.

Q: Did the opinion reverse permission for a tribe-run casino fundraiser?
A: No. It clarified which party could sell admissions to each part of the event.

Background and statutory framework

The AG referred to the repeal of Connecticut's Games of Chance Act and his April 14, 2003 opinion about tribe-run gaming at Foxwoods. This short clarification addressed ticket sales by a benefiting charity and distinguished gambling from nongambling portions.

Citations and references

Prior opinion discussed: April 14, 2003 opinion.

Source

• Landing page: https://portal.ct.gov/AG/Opinions
• Opinion page: https://portal.ct.gov/ag/opinions/2003-formal-opinions/susan-g-townsley-division-of-special-revenue-2003007-formal-opinion-attorney-general-of-connecticut

Original opinion text

Susan G. Townsley, Division of Special Revenue, 2003-007 Formal Opinion, Attorney General of Connecticut

Attorney General's Opinion

Attorney General, Richard Blumenthal

May 8, 2003

Susan G. Townsley

Executive Director

Division of Special Revenue

555 Russell Road

Newington, CT 06111

Dear Ms. Townsley:

We write to clarify our April 14, 2003 opinion concerning whether the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe (the "Tribe") could conduct Casino Night events at Foxwoods Casino ("Foxwoods") to benefit state charities. This issue had arisen in the wake of action by the Connecticut General Assembly earlier this year repealing the Games of Chance Act, which had allowed charities to run Las Vegas Nights events within the state as fundraisers, subject to the provisions of the Act. As a result of this repeal, charitable organizations may no longer legally conduct Las Vegas Night events in this State. In our April 14, 2003 opinion, we determined that the Tribe could conduct Las Vegas Night or Casino Night events at Foxwoods to benefit a state charity as long as the Tribe, and not the charity, runs the event, the event is held at Foxwoods and the Tribe uses its gaming equipment and personnel. Since our opinion was issued, a question has arisen as to whether state charitable organizations that will benefit from a Casino Night fundraising event held at Foxwoods may sell tickets to the event.

We conclude that, in light of the Legislature's clear mandate to disallow charitable organizations from conducting Las Vegas Night events, charities may not sell tickets to the gambling portion of the event, even though the event will be held at Foxwoods. Tickets to the gambling portion of the event and gambling chips must be sold by the Tribe. Charities may, however, sell tickets to those portions of the event that do not include casino-type gaming activities, such as a dinner, dance or other non-gambling activity.

We trust that this letter clarifies this issue.

Very truly yours,

RICHARD BLUMENTHAL

ATTORNEY GENERAL