As online gaming in the US continues to receive more attention, it is expected that the iGaming segment will rapidly approach the revenue levels seen by land-based operators. There is still a huge gap in the two segments, but Connecticut could be close to helping reduce the difference. The Connecticut House has advanced a bill that would, if approved, bring iGaming and sports gambling to the state.
House Bill 6451 (HB 6451) seeks to legalize iGaming and sports gambling and has had a difficult time reaching this point. However, as non-gaming states see the revenue potential, especially what was seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, they are looking at the activity differently. In states where it is legalized, iGaming provided dedicated revenue streams while land-based casinos were shuttered, helping to offset some of the revenue losses the states would have otherwise incurred.
HB 6451 will now be considered by the Connecticut Senate and, if approved, forwarded to Governor Ned Lamont. Should it reach that far, the governor is ready to sign, asserting, ” I look forward to this measure’s swift passage in the Senate so we can start the federal process of ensuring this legislation and agreement is authorized.”
The bill would see Governor Lamont negotiate new arrangements with the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes, who currently have exclusive rights to casino games in the state. The bill authorizes the Connecticut Lottery and the tribes’ two casinos to take sports wagers and the casinos to offer online versions of slots and table games. Before they could be offered, though, the Department of the Interior would have to approve any new gaming arrangement created with the tribes.
