The launch of online sports betting in Connecticut has been put on hold. There is legal retail wagering in the state, but the implementation of widespread internet betting is still being handled. Retail sports wagering has been a success after a week of usage, but Connecticut needs mobile betting to take advantage of the entire population.
The planned launch for mobile sports betting in Connecticut was scheduled for Thursday. However, there was a delay in the Memorandums of Understandings in the federal register. This news was announced by Kaitlyn Krasselt, the Communications Director for the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection.
When is Mobile Sports Betting Going Live?
Mobile sports betting is delayed, and there is no established launch date. Nevertheless, the wait is not expected to be extended. There is an urgency to launch sports betting because the NFL season is already a quarter complete.
Therefore, every weekend without mobile sports betting is costing the state valuable tax revenue. COVID-19 was one of the deciding factors to implement sports betting to capitalize on tax revenue, so the state legislature is pushing for a launch.
Krasselt spoke earlier in the week about the mobile sports betting situation.
She said;
“We are still working to finalize the details of the statewide online and retail launch of sports betting, and we are working with the licensees to ensure their platforms are certified and in compliance with the regulations prior to launch. As such, no date has been set, but we do not anticipate it to be a lengthy delay.”
Lucrative Potential in Connecticut
Connecticut is a small state, but the sports betting market is expected to be very competitive. The central location of Connecticut and the operators that will launch in the state make it a prime gambling state.
DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetRivers will be the three legal sportsbooks in the state. DraftKings gained market access through the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, and the Mohegan Tribe partnered with FanDuel.
BetRivers will launch in the state because of a partnership with the Connecticut Lottery. BetRivers is a respectable book in the nation, but it does have the name of its other two competitors.
Connecticut will be the 14th state where DraftKings is live. The other major markets where the sportsbook is authorized are Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, Iowa, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New Hampshire.
Connecticut will mark the ninth state for FanDuel, adding to New Jersey, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, Michigan, Virginia, and Arizona.
The Connecticut Lottery feels Rush Street Interactive, which operates BetRivers, can be successful in the sports betting space.
The Connecticut Lottery Application Chairman, Rob Simmelkjaer, spoke about the group’s excitement to offer BetRivers Sportsbook.
He said;
“Rush Street Interactive is a respected sports betting and gaming company that has established itself as a leading innovator in the industry. We are impressed not only with RSI’s successes in other jurisdictions, particularly in neighboring New York and New Jersey, but also its commitment to responsible gambling practices.”
Retail sports betting made its debut last Thursday at Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort and Casino. Governor Ned Lamont was the first person to place a bet in the state.