CONNECTICUT, USA — Editor's Note: The video above is from Oct. 7, 2021.
Statewide online sports betting finally has a start date.
Connecticut's Department of Consumer Protection announced Friday that a 7-day soft launch will begin Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 3 p.m.
The department said it notified the Connecticut Lottery Corporation as well as the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes on Friday.
The news of the soft launch comes just two days after the department pushed back the start of the much-anticipated online sports betting.
The initial target start date was Oct. 7.
“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,” said DCP Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull. “As long as no issues arise, we have told the licensees they may move forward with the 7-day soft launch required in the regulations. Once the soft launch is complete, online gaming will open statewide.”
Sports betting kicked off for the first time last Month at casinos in Connecticut.
Foxwoods partnered with DraftKings, while Mohegan Sun created an alliance with FanDuel in creating and branding their respective sportsbooks. Both are giants in the sports betting industry.
The Connecticut Lottery is also working with Rush Street to launch online and in-person sports betting, but they have a few more loose ends to tie up before that happens. The CT Lottery is working with businesses like Bobby V's in Windsor Locks to distribute the kiosks. They hope to offer in-person betting soon.
Here are the parameters for the soft launch:
The Connecticut Lottery Corporation:
- Online sports wagering within the State of Connecticut only.
- The scope of the soft launch will be further limited to wagering by 750 patrons directly through the online platform.
- Online sports wagering will be limited to operation during certain times of the day during the soft launch period. Those hours are 3-11 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, 12 p.m.-11:59 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, then running on a 24-hour cycle through the rest of the soft launch period.
Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes:
- Online sports wagering within the State of Connecticut only.
- 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 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, 12 p.m.-11:59 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, then running on a 24-hour cycle through the rest of the soft launch period
FanDuel, DraftKings and Rush Street Interactive may now begin establishing patron accounts for the 750 individuals that will take part in the soft launch
Gov. Ned Lamont has said the projected state revenues from the two casinos as a result of sports gambling is north of $10 million each year.
A portion of revenues from sports betting will go back to the state. The governor’s office said the state will collect 13.75% that will get put into the general fund.
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