Pequots Expanding Slot Machines

The Mashantucket Pequots are looking to expand their slot machine empire into Philadelphia from Connecticut. The group has been looking for a place to expand to for the past two years, and has been looking at Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and Biloxi, Mississippi, to build other slot machine casinos. It has also been looking to build partnerships with other slot machine and gaming companies, including the MGM Mirage – who is looking to put a slot machine casino in Atlantic City by 2010.

The Pequots also use their slot machine revenue to help other tribes who either do not make as much, or do not have the ability to have slot machines at all. They just signed a seven year contract with the Pauma Ban of Mission Indians to manage its slot machine casino north of San Diego. ''They've blazed the trail in a new arena for gaming in this country,'' said Howard Dickstein, an attorney who represents large tribes with slot machine casinos in California. ''They've earned the respect of other tribes.''

The tribe started out operating bingo and table games in Connecticut, as slot machines were not legal. A year later, they entered into a slot machine revenue agreement with the state so that they would be allowed to legally offer slot machines. Foxwoods now has 390 table games and 7,400 slot machines – more than any other US slot machine and gaming casino. It is planning on adding another 1,500 slot machines with its latest expansion.

Last fiscal year, Connecticut collected more than $204 million from Foxwoods in slot machine revenue. They also received another $224 million from the Mohegan Sun, another slot machine casino that has a compact with the state.

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