Connecticut lawmakers are currently considering several gaming bills, including an online poker bill and a cap on online sports bets. The Connecticut General Assembly is in session until June 4, during which time the legislature will continue to review various gaming-related proposals.
Last week, lawmakers in Hartford discussed another gaming bill, Senate Bill 1464 (SB1464). This bill aims to include online poker among the state’s permissible forms of internet gambling and allows the governor to negotiate agreements with other states to share player liquidity. SB1464 also proposes setting limits on online sports betting.
Introduced by the Senate’s General Law Committee, SB1464 is scheduled for a public hearing on Wednesday, March 12. This legislation is part of a broader array of gaming bills introduced this session.
Among the other active measures are:
- Legislation to authorize and regulate in-flight sports betting on commercial flights that either originate or end in Connecticut, despite facing long odds due to federal law.
- A proposal to lift the ban on sports bets involving in-state colleges and universities.
Sports Betting Limits and Online Poker
If passed by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Ned Lamont, SB1464 would establish “maximum sports wagers” for online sports betting. The specific limits are not detailed in the bill; rather, it assigns Consumer Protection Commissioner Bryan Cafferelli the task of adopting regulations for these maximum sports wagers.
The bill also authorizes peer-to-peer casino games online through the state’s two legal, regulated iGaming platforms, DraftKings and FanDuel, which are partnered with Connecticut’s two federally recognized tribes. A peer-to-peer casino game refers to any card game, contest, or tournament in which patrons compete against each other rather than against the licensee operating the game.
SB1464 would permit DraftKings and FanDuel, the online casino and mobile sportsbook partners of Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, to charge a fee, or rake, for facilitating interactive poker games.
Given Connecticut’s population of 3.7 million people, ranking 29th in the United States, there is concern about maintaining a robust, 24/7 online poker environment. Consequently, SB1464 grants Governor Lamont the authority to enter into player-sharing agreements with other states where online poker is legal.
This player liquidity condition would likely lead to Connecticut joining the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement, a framework that currently includes Delaware, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, and West Virginia. Pennsylvania is also considering joining, which would significantly boost the player pool.
Sweeps Casino Bill
In addition to considering gaming expansion and consumer safeguards, Connecticut lawmakers are reviewing Senate Bill 1235 (SB1235), which aims to ban online websites that present themselves as “sweepstakes” platforms but are accused of facilitating illegal gambling.
SB1235 stipulates that anyone found conducting unauthorized online gambling under the guise of sweepstakes or promotional drawings would face a Class D felony charge, carrying a prison sentence of up to five years and a $5,000 fine.
