The Connecticut online gaming soft launch ends tomorrow, which means CT sports betting will be available to everyone of legal age in the state.
The soft launch ends at 6 am Tuesday morning, meaning all three Connecticut online sportsbooks will go live:
- DraftKings Sportsbook via the Mashantucket Pequot Indians/Foxwoods
- FanDuel Sportsbook via the Mohegan Indians/Mohegan Sun
- PlaySugarHouse via the Connecticut Lottery
Northeast still missing heavyweights
Connecticut’s launch means regulated online gambling is now available to millions who previously did not have access. In addition to Connecticut, the apps will likely get plenty of use from New York and Massachusetts residents as well.
Online NY sportsbooks likely will not launch until January 2022, but this gives bettors north of NYC a more convenient option than betting with NJ sportsbooks in the meantime.
Sports betting legislation in Massachusetts is clearly on the backburner in the Senate and might not be addressed again this session. That means Massachusetts residents could be sending tax revenue over state borders for another year or longer.
CT sports betting basics
Sports betting and iGaming were hot topics in the Connecticut legislature for years, but it really was not up to legislators on when they would get approved. That fell on the two tribal partners who have exclusivity over casino gaming.
This year, though, negotiations were successful between the state and the two tribes over updated gaming agreements. That authorized multiple gaming expansions passed through HB 6451:
- Retail and online sports betting. Sports betting revenue is taxed at 13.75% for DraftKings and FanDuel. Rush Street Interactive‘s winning bid to partner with the Connecticut Lottery means the company will share more than half of its net betting revenue with the state.
- iGaming is available through the tribes and will be taxed at 18% for the first five years and 20% thereafter.
- The Lottery cannot offer online casino games but it will launch lottery games and keno online.
Unfortunately for local bettors, there is no betting on Connecticut college teams.
What about retail CT sportsbooks?
It will take some time before permanent retail sportsbooks roll out, but there are two options already.
Both tribal casinos opened temporary sportsbooks and took the first legal CT sports bets on Sept. 30. The Lottery gets to open 15 retail sportsbooks with multiple locations at Sportech-operated venues.
The plan is for three to open whenever the Lottery gets the official OK, which should be soon according to comments from President Greg Smith. Another seven sportsbooks should be open by the end of October.
