Home of sports media giant ESPN, Connecticut and sports are almost synonymous.
So, it was more of a question about when, not if, the state would legalize sports gambling. In October of 2021, lawmakers and local Native American tribes found a way to get sports betting legalized for all residents. Connecticut is one of the smaller states in the country, both in population and size. But they have been a leader in both the sports world and sports betting space.
Connecticut’s population is pretty spread out. They have four cities all roughly around 140,000 people. Bridgeport, Stamford, New Haven and Hartford are the biggest cities. There are no major professional sports teams in CT. There are some well-known Division 1 colleges like Connecticut, Yale, Hartford and Sacred Heart.
The Constitution State, although small, has been a prominent leader in moving sports gambling forward in the country. Even with a lack of local teams to cheer for, there is a huge sports appetite in Connecticut.
Yes, gambling is legal in Connecticut. On May 27th, 2021, Governor Ned Lamont signed House Bill 6451 into law legalizing sports betting. This came after long conversations between state lawmakers and local Native American tribes to find the best way to benefit both parties.
Both Native American tribes were able to partner with online operators to launch mobile gambling as well as retail options. There are currently three major online sportsbooks operating in CT, DraftKings, FanDuel and SugarHouse. The state lottery partnered with SugarHouse for mobile only sports gambling. There are two retail casino locations in the state operated by the two Native American tribes in the state.
Connecticut also allows online casino gambling and online poker.