Connecticut Governor in Favor of Legal Sports Betting

More than half the states in the nation either offer legal sports betting in some form or they are in the process of bringing it to market. You should be able to add Connecticut sportsbooks to that list if the current Gov. Ned Lamont gets his way.

He has already come out in favor of legal sportsbooks publicly as a viable way to fill some gaps in the state’s annual budget. He has also proposed the idea of working closely with the governments and providers for New York sportsbooks and New Jersey sportsbooks to promote and grow the sports betting industry in the tri-state area.

In his recent State of the State address, Gov. Lamont included the following statement:

“I am working with our neighboring states and look forward to working with our tribal partners on a path forward to modernizing gaming in our state.”

The governor went on to add:

“Sports betting, internet gaming and legalized marijuana are happening all around us. Let’s not surrender these opportunities to out-of-state markets or even worse, underground markets.”

Along with legal sports betting at land-based venues, he is also a strong proponent of online betting along with online casinos. It has become rather obvious how successful both internet properties have become in neighboring states, such as the Rhode Island sportsbooks, where legal.

At the top of that list is New Jersey as the biggest sports betting market in the nation according to the Garden State’s monthly handle.

The governor does face some stiff opposition from certain state lawmakers. This issue has already been batted around for the past two and a half years.

However, he also believes that the numbers still speak for themselves in terms of potential tax revenue. He often refers to the gaming statistics of markets where both online sports betting and online casino gaming are already up and running.

The next step in the process is to bring up the proposal within Connecticut’s General Assembly. The 2021 legislative session has already begun and it will remain in session until June. During this time, the idea of legal sports betting in the state will brought to the floor.

Also during this time, a specific bill or bills will have to make their way through the state House and Senate. With the governor onboard, industry insiders believe that both branches of the government will be in favor of legislation to legalize sports betting.

DraftKings is one of the biggest US sportsbooks in the marketplace. The company has already partnered with Foxwoods Resort Casino in anticipation of legal sports betting coming to Connecticut online sportsbooks in the near future.

It is generally believed that retail sportsbooks through existing gaming venues will be up and running by the end of 2021. However, there is less certainty that mobile sports betting will be approved as well.

The exact details of the state’s emerging sports betting industry need to be worked out through the General Assembly over the next few months. Yet, the combination of Gov. Lamont’s favorable position and the current presence of DraftKings should keep the process moving forward at a steady pace.

This site contains commercial content. Read more.