FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                     Contact:  Paul D. Bernstein

August 11, 2005                                                            (860) 594-5480

                                                                                      Paul.Bernstein@po.state.ct.us

SPECIAL REVENUE REJECTS INTERACTIVE PLAYAWAY GAME

Paul A. Young, Executive Director of the Connecticut Division of Special Revenue, announced today that following a careful and objective review, his agency was rejecting the PlayAway game offered by the Mashantucket Pequots’ Foxwoods Resort Casino.

Said Young, “Simply put, PlayAway is a keno (lottery) based interactive game played on the internet, off of the reservation, for promotional purposes.   It’s clear that its approval would violate Sec. 12-806(b)(4) of the Connecticut General Statutes which prohibits any interactive on-line lottery games for promotional purposes.  It would also violate the Tribal/State procedures and the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (the IGRA) as the PlayAway game is designed to be conducted off of the reservation.”

Said Young, “We have had very good cooperation from the Tribe in addressing this issue, and they have provided us with considerable information in response to our many questions.  We have reviewed all of the information provided, as well as the Tribal/State procedures, the IGRA and our state statutes.  We have concluded that PlayAway, which utilizes the internet, would be illegal in Connecticut, and we have informed the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Gaming Commission of that fact.”

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