Connecticut Launches Legal Online Casino Games

Connecticut online gambling sports betting

On Tuesday, at 3 PM, Connecticut will become the sixth state to offer legal online casino games. The launch of online sports betting and online casino games has been “coming soon” for a while, but an official launch date and time wasn’t released until Friday.

In a press release from the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection:

The Department of Consumer Protection notified the Connecticut Lottery Corporation, Mohegan Tribe and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe Friday that they may begin their 7-day soft launch period for online wagering on Tuesday, Oct. 12 at 3 PM.

The DCP has installed the following guardrails for the soft launch phase:

  • Online casino gaming in the State of Connecticut, which shall be limited to the games approved by DCP as of the start of the soft launch period, which is over 100 games.
  • The soft launch will not include live dealer or peer-to-peer online casino games.
  • The scope of the soft launch will be further limited to wagering by 750 patrons
  • Online sports wagering will be limited to operation during certain times of the day during the soft launch period. Those hours are 3–11 PM on Tuesday and Wednesday, 12 PM-11:59 PM on Thursday and Friday, then running on a 24-hour cycle through the rest of the soft launch period.

Other States With Legal Online Casinos

While other forms of online gambling have gained traction in the US, online casino gambling has struggled to gain a foothold. With the addition of Connecticut, the tally stands at six, or seven if you count the online poker-only state of Nevada.

  1. Delaware
  2. New Jersey
  3. Pennsylvania
  4. West Virginia
  5. Michigan
  6. Nevada (online poker)

Online casino struggles are hard to explain, as it’s a more significant revenue generator than sports betting, and there hasn’t been anything in the way of a public outcry or consumer protection issues where it’s legal.

Still, legislatures have been extremely hesitant to pass online casino laws while fully embracing sports betting. That is expected to change… eventually.

As reported by CDC Gaming Reports:

[Scientific Games Global Head of Government Affairs and Legislative Counsel Howard Glaser] predicted that a significant number, though not all, of the 44 states that haven’t legalized igaming will be on board within the next 5 to 10 years, and that revenue would annually reach $25 billion, with a tax base of $2.5 billion to $4 billion returning to states. 

Connecticut Online Poker Launch Date: TBD

As mentioned above, online poker in Connecticut is not part of the soft launch, and when the state’s online poker platforms will launch is an open question.

Connecticut is a small state both in terms of size and population. That makes it extremely difficult to have a viable online poker industry, as the game relies on player liquidity.

The most likely outcome is for Connecticut online poker to wait until multi-state agreements are in place that allows Connecticut operators to share liquidity across state lines.

Connecticut Online Lottery Launch Date: TBD

Another part of the gaming expansion law that won’t be included in the soft launch is online lottery.

The Connecticut Lottery is authorized to sell draw tickets online as part of the law passed earlier this year, but when that goes into effect isn’t clear at this point.

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