Rather than mourning the loss of General Electric, Connecticut business owners are looking ahead and asking “what’s next?”

One enticing option is the prospect of bringing a third casino to Connecticut, in hopes of spurring the state’s popular—and profitable—gambling industry. In December 2015 alone, for instance, Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods contributed a combined total of over  $21 million to the state’s Special Revenue Fund. And the combined handle, or total amount wagered, for both casinos in December was over $1 billion.

Is Connecticut a threat to Las Vegas? Hardly, as the state only has two casinos. But a new proposal for a third casino could make the unassuming Nutmeg state a New England hotspot for spinning wheels of red and black.

Questions currently abound, however, about where the casino would be placed. New London county, for instance, already has two facilities, and so adding a third casino to that area would make little sense. And there is much ado from the Hartford business community about the idea of bringing a casino to the capital region.

But Fairfield county? This is a possibility.

Fairfield itself—the former home of GE—could be an interesting option. Norwalk, for that matter, is getting  a new mall; and gambling and shopping are an ideal combination for attracting consumers. Even Stamford could work, with its proximity to New York and recent slew of financial job cuts.

One of the main benefits to putting a casino in southwestern Connecticut would be its prime location—especially if the plan to build a subsea tunnel from Long Island to Fairfield county moves forward. A casino would be a tremendous spur for the local economy, as it would provide residents of New York and even New Jersey added incentive to head to Connecticut for leisure.

Of course, there are risks to consider. First and foremost, our highways are already heavily strained with commuter traffic. And there is no guarantee that a casino would be welcomed with open arms.

Another issue that needs to be discussed is cybersecurity, especially for an organization that would be conducting so many large transactions. We here at Apex Technology Services, Fairfield county’s premier computer consulting firm, were dismayed about the recent high profile data breach at U.S. casino chain Affinity Games, where hackers successfully deployed malware on about 76 different servers  and used it to extract sensitive financial information. As the case shows, hackers are now eyeing casinos with dollar signs in their eyes and so it’s vital for any new casino to be extra vigilant about staying safe.  

As you can see, there are pros and cons to the idea about bringing a casino to Fairfield county, but it’s a conversation that we’d love to see play out further. What are your thoughts on bringing a new casino to Fairfield county? Would you support it? We want to hear from you!