Editor Note: The state has passed a legalization law as of June 2021, but a federal permission is still required. Read the article.
Legal sports betting is coming to all the states around Connecticut but so far State-versus Tribes disagreements have prevented meaningful progress.
The Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes of Connecticut assert exclusivity in all forms of gambling based on a 1990s compact with the state. They say sports betting would have been included in that compact, if not for the federal prohibition in place at the time.
Therefore, if the state wants to modernize and expand gambling and introduce Connecticut sports betting, it must go through them. To date, the argument stops there with threats of lawsuits and delays if the state doesn’t comply.
Is sports betting legal in Connecticut?
No. Gov. Ted Lamont tried to advance a sports betting agenda and an online lottery in 2019, but those efforts stalled around the arguments of tribal gambling exclusivity. A hearing in early 2020 was meant to kickstart discussions, but did not make much progress. (Read Connecticut legalization updates).
Where can I bet at Connecticut sportsbooks?
Currently, the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville and Foxwoods Resort Casino in Ledyard are the main Indian casinos in Connecticut. Because of the stalemate over sports betting, it is not available here or anywhere else in the state.
Many residents commute to New York for work and can wager in that state.
What about mobile sports betting apps in Connecticut?
There is no sports betting and no mobile or online gambling either (other than overseas or offshore operators which the state is trying to cut out of the picture by legalizing it).