Connecticut Takes Next Step Toward Complete Legal Sports Betting Platform

It has been a bit of a process to get the Connecticut legal sports betting platform live. After the state legislature officially signed off on a legal sports betting framework in May, the state has been plagued by a host of delays but is slowly finally kicking its industry into gear.

Connecticut's retail sports betting platform launched September 30 with Foxwoods Resort and the Mohegan Sun hosting the first legal sports bettors in the state, thanks to their respective partnership deals with the two biggest DFS providers-turned sports betting company giants.

Today, the state's three mobile providers will kick off their seven-day "soft launch". If all goes well, the shackles will come off and the two mentioned DFS providers plus PlaySugarHouse will officially go live with their own mobile sports betting brands.

“We appreciate the hard work of our licensees and their teams, as well as the team at DCP, for their diligence in ensuring these platforms are compliant with the regulations approved by the legislature," Connecticut’s Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) Commissioner, Michelle H Seagull said.

“As long as no issues arise, we have told the licensees they may move forward with the seven-day soft launch required in the regulations. Once the soft launch is complete, online gaming will open statewide.”

A Welcoming Market

Proponents of legal sports betting in Connecticut are welcoming legalization with open arms. Everybody stands to benefit, from the public to the sports betting providers to the state's tribes whose partnership deals will allow them to generate tremendous revenue.

"The Mohegan Tribe is thankful to Governor Lamont and the Department of Consumer Protection for their cooperative efforts to reach this point, as together we finally make online gaming and sport wagering a reality in Connecticut," said James Gessner, Chairman of the Mohegan Tribe regarding the soft launch.

"Doing so will allow us to not only offer these new products to state residents but it will also in turn help protect Connecticut jobs and generate additional tax revenues to the benefit of state and local municipal budgets, as well as our tribe’s members. We're excited to take this step, and we look forward to a full launch in the days ahead."

Connecticut is home to the 29th highest population in the country - 3.565 million. It is also home to a rabid fanbase, thanks in part to the UConn basketball teams.

More About This Soft Launch

Three mobile sports betting providers go live in a limited capacity today, March 12 in Connecticut - Connecticut Lottery Corporation’s Rush Street SugarHouse and the DFS behemoths. Each will have a set of rules to follow. If all goes well, training wheels will be off March 19 and the mobile market will be fully up and running.

SugarHouse will be limited to online sports wagering within the state only, will be limited to 750 patrons on the online platform, and will have hours limited from 3 to 11 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, noon to 11:59 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, then a 24-hour cycle until the soft launch period is over.

The other two will have a similar set of rules to follow. Their rules state online sports wagering within the state only, online casino gaming shall be limited to games approved by the Department of Consumer Protection (over 100 games) and there will be no live dealer or peer-to-peer online casino games.

Their online casinos will be limited to 750 users on each app and hours of the soft launch will be 3 to 11 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, noon to 11:59 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, then a 24-hour cycle until the soft launch period is over.

Ramifications

It is hard to tell exactly how the Connecticut legal sports betting industry will go. The one thing that benefits them is getting their mobile sports betting platform off the ground, even though it is a soft launch. In one week's time, mobile sports betting, which contributes 90% of nearby New Jersey's monthly legal sports betting hauls will be fully operational.

Connecticut is not allowing single-game bets on their beloved UConn men's or ladies basketball team which isn't ideal, but Connecticut is still expected to be a solid market. The US legal sports betting family is constantly growing and officially adds Connecticut today.