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WNBA Bets on Casino28 May 2003UNCASVILLE, Connecticut – As reported by the Associated Press: "Basketball fan Toni Cietanno sat on a sculpted marble bench outside the arena, watching players from the WNBA's newest franchise arrive for their final preseason game. "A few paces away was the entrance to the Mohegan Sun's casino, with 6,200 flashing, jangling slot machines and 300 table games. About 30,000 people pass through those doors each day, and the WNBA is hoping women's basketball fans will be among them. "…The Connecticut Sun opened its season Saturday at the casino's 10,000-seat arena, playing against the two-time defending champ Los Angeles Sparks. "Sporting events at casinos aren't new -- boxing has been a big attraction for decades. A minor league hockey team will play this year at a Las Vegas casino, and the Mohegan Sun is also home to an arena football developmental team. "When the Mohegan Indian tribe bought the former Orlando Miracle for a reported $10 million in January, it became the league's first independent owner and first to host a team in a casino. "The WNBA allows the casino to own a team because there is no sports betting there. WNBA commissioner Val Ackerman said the Mohegan Sun agreed to abide by league rules that prohibit cross-promotion of gambling and the team. "…During the Sun's final preseason game, the trappings inside the arena were pure basketball: starting lineups, play-by-play, no mention of any gambling promotions or headliners. There are several entrances to the sprawling complex, and fans with children can enter through the main doors of the 34-story hotel…" |