Gov. Ned Lamont is ready for CT sports betting to get started, but he might have jumped the gun a bit in recent comments.
Lamont said sports betting could begin “any day now” at the two tribal casinos, Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun.
“My instinct is the tribes, hopefully, will do something collaboratively at the same time on site, and we’re just waiting for the final approval so we can get everything going online as well,” Lamont added.
While some local media took Lamont’s comments to mean CT sports betting could launch this week, that likely is not the case.
CT sports betting still has steps to take
The federal Department of Interior gave its blessing on updated gaming agreements between the state and its two tribal partners last week.
Those agreements must appear in the Federal Register to take effect, though. Lamont’s office assumed that would happen the same day the approvals arrived, a spokesperson said.
It will take about a week to square away all the licensing issues before those retail bets can happen after publishing, the spokesperson added.
The state’s three online sportsbooks should still launch simultaneously in October:
- DraftKings Sportsbook via Foxwoods
- FanDuel Sportsbook via Mohegan
- Rush Street Interactive-powered sportsbook via the Connecticut Lottery
Connecticut another legal option for Massachusetts bettors
There is another group of bettors eagerly waiting for the launch of sports betting in Connecticut: Massachusetts residents.
The Massachusetts Senate is again holding up the discussion on legalizing sportsbooks in the Bay State. Its proposed bill was not updated following a stakeholder meeting in June. The House, meanwhile, amended its bill and passed it by a 156-3 margin.
Gov. Charlie Baker is growing impatient as well. He tweeted Sunday it’s time to get Massachusetts sportsbooks legalized, adding the state is losing out to many neighbors. So far, Massachusetts has three neighboring states that accept legal sports bets, with CT poised to become the fourth shortly.
Mohegan Digital CEO Rich Roberts told LSR he expects to see a “good amount” of out-of-state marketing. That could include New York as well since online NY sportsbooks might not launch until around the Super Bowl.
