Months of approvals and planning have finally come to an end. Connecticut Governor, Ned Lamont, has now stated that online sports betting is set to launch in October following receipt of the news from the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs that gaming compacts had been approved for the state.
Connecticut’s Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner, Michelle Seagull, has confirmed the soft launch early next month. He has stated that all electronic wagering platforms must first receive certification from independent laboratories. This soft launch will allow the state to observe how well the system works before opening it up to the general public.
Residents of Connecticut will benefit from several online and in-person sports betting options following the full launch in the state. Licenses for sports betting are set to be granted to the Mohegan Tribe, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, and Connecticut Lottery Corporation, who will offer the following potential opportunities:
After partnering with DraftKings, the Mohegan Tribe will run both in-person and online sports betting, with their retail sportsbook located in their Uncasville Mohegan Sun casino. The DraftKings mobile application will host their online sports betting platform, although the timeline to put this in place is currently uncertain. It’s unlikely to be too long after the beginning of sports betting in-person, though.
After partnering with FanDuel, The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation will run both in-person and online sports betting options. Their retail sportsbook is set to be hosted at their Ledyard-based Foxwoods Casino, with online options available through FanDuel’s app.
After partnering with Rush Street Interaction, the Connecticut Lottery Corporation will offer in-person and online sports betting options. Online betting in Connecticut will be operated via BetRivers, owned by Rush Street, and accessed via their app. The lottery in Connecticut will also open up as many as 15 in-person sportsbooks, although locations for these are, as yet, unknown. One potential location is Hartford’s XL Center (the one-time Hartford Civic Center serving as the former Hartford Whalers’ arena). Today, the Hartford Wolf Pack has made the XL Center their base.
The lottery will also provide sports betting kiosks to several Bobby V’s and Winners OTB restaurants statewide. It is already known that Winners OTB branches in Milford, Norwalk, New Haven, New Britain, Waterbury, Manchester, Torrington, and Hartford will all receive kiosks.
