Connecticut set for online gambling soft launch this week

The soft launch of online sports betting and gaming in Connecticut includes restrictions on the number of customers and hours of operation licensees are allowed.

The state has announced that a seven-day soft launch of online sports betting and gaming will begin on Tuesday, Oct. 12.

The Department of Consumer Protection announced Friday that the Connecticut Lottery Corporation, Meohan Tribe and Mashantucket Pequot Tribe may begin a soft launch Tuesday for their online wagering programs. Once the soft launch is complete, online gaming can open statewide. 

The Connecticut Lottery Corporation has different parameters than the tribes. They will offer online sports wagering within the state only, limited in scope to 750 people through the online platform. Customers will only be allowed to make bets during certain times of the day during this soft launch - 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.

The tribes will be allowed to launch online sports betting within the state, online casino gaming, limited to the games approved by DCP for the soft launch. This does include over 100 games, according to DCP. The soft launch will not include live dealer or peer-to-peer online casino games, and will be limited to wagering by 750 customers. They will follow the same hour limitations as the CT Lottery.

“After more than a decade of advocacy and negotiation, statewide sports betting and iGaming is finally coming to Connecticut,” Rodney Butler, chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, told the Hartford Courant. ”We’ve made it to the finish line and we’re excited to finally launch."

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, which operates Foxwood, has partnered with DraftKings Inc. and Mohegan Sun, operated by the Mohegan tribe, has partnered with FanDuel. The lottery's partner is Rush Street Interactive.

In May, the General Assembly approved an agreement reached between the two federally recognized tribes and Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont, allowing the state’s gambling agreements with the tribes to be amended and enabling both to offer sports betting, online gambling and online fantasy sports in return for providing the state a share of the revenues.