Launch of Online Sports Betting in Connecticut Delayed
@loumonaco
Not so fast, Connecticut online sports bettors.
Online sports betting, which seemed to be on track to launch on Thursday, has been pushed back, with no specific timeline announced.
“The delay in publication of the MOUs (memorandum of understandings) in the Federal Register set the process back,” Kaitlyn Krasselt, communications director for the state’s Department of Consumer Protection, said in an email Tuesday morning to TopUSCasinos.com. “We are still working to finalize the details of the statewide online launch of sports betting, and we are working with the licensees to ensure their platforms are certified and in compliance with the regulations prior to launch.
“As such, no date has been set, but we do not anticipate it to be a lengthy delay.”
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A seven-day soft launch period for statewide online sports betting has not started yet, she said in the email.
The Connecticut Lottery Corp. will launch online sports betting with Rush Street Interactive, which operates SugarHouse Sportsbook. It will join DraftKings and FanDuel when online sports betting goes live.
Retail Sportsbooks Launch
Last Thursday, two temporary retail sportsbooks opened on the first day of sports betting in the Nutmeg State.
A temporary DraftKings Sportsbook opened at the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation’s Foxwoods Resort Casino. Bettors could wager at the temporary retail sportsbook, the Ultimate Race Book in Rainmaker Casino. Self-service betting kiosks also went live there.
FanDuel, partnering with the Mohegan Tribe, went live with its temporary retail sportsbook at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville with four live betting windows and 50 self-service betting terminals.
Online Casinos Also Legal
Permanent retail sportsbooks for DraftKings and FanDuel are currently in the final stages of construction. The operators said they will announce an opening date in the coming weeks.
Online casinos are also legal in Connecticut, but will likely take additional time to launch. DraftKings Casino and FanDuel Casino will be able to offer online casino games in the state.
Contributors
Lou Monaco had been East Coast Scene columnist for Gaming Today in Las Vegas since June 2019, covering the East Coast sportsbook scene with emphasis on NJ and PA. He also currently is a part-time writer for the high school sports department for NJ Advanced Media (NJ.com) in Iselin, NJ. Lou has over 30 years sports experience with previous stints at ESPN SportsTicker, Daily Racing Form and Oddschecker.
