Connecticut Sports Betting

Retail sportsbooks and online sports betting are legal in Connecticut.

The Connecticut online sports betting market consists of three operators, each partnered with a tribal casino or the state lottery. All Connecticut sports betting sites offer statewide access to fans 21 and older.

In addition, fans can place wagers in person at more than a dozen Connecticut sportsbooks located throughout the state. Other Connecticut online betting options include pari-mutuel horse racing wagering and daily fantasy sports.

Legal Connecticut Betting Sites

FanDuel SportsbookBet $5 Get $150FanDuel Promo Code: Not Needed Get Bonus
DraftKings SportsbookNo Sweat Bet up to $1,000DraftKings Promo Code: Not Needed Get Bonus
Fanatics SportsbookUp to $1000 in Bonus BetsFanatics Sportsbook Promo Code: Not Needed Get Bonus
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21+ and present in CT. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call (888) 789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat.

Connecticut Sports Betting Overview

Retail sportsbooks at Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun kicked off the Connecticut sports betting era with simultaneous launches on September 30th, 2021.

Online sports betting in Connecticut began on Tuesday, October 12th at 3 PM. During the seven-day soft launch phase, three Connecticut betting apps served a total of 750 customers for limited hours each day before transitioning to full-time operations.

FanDuel Sportsbook, DraftKings, and Rush Street Gaming officially launched for the public on October 19th, 2021. Later, Rush Street Gaming left the Connecticut online sports betting market, and Fanatics Sportsbook took its place.

Connecticut Sports Betting Apps

Three gaming entities control mobile online sports betting in Connecticut. The Pequots (Foxwoods), Mohegans (Mohegan Sun), and the Connecticut Lottery Corporation may each operate one mobile betting platform, giving Connecticut bettors their choice of three online sportsbooks:

FanDuel Sportsbook secured Connecticut sports betting market access by partnering with Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment.

The FanDuel Connecticut app offers the benefits of value-added promotions, streaming sports broadcasts, and a diverse array of betting markets.

DraftKings Sportsbook secured a Connecticut sports betting license through its partnership with the Pequots. Per the agreement, DraftKings runs the retail sportsbook at Foxwoods and online sports betting on behalf of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation.

The DraftKings Connecticut sports betting app offers a well-rounded sports wagering experience with extensive betting markets, live video, social features, and regular promotions.

Fanatics SportsbookUp to $1000 in Bonus BetsFanatics Sportsbook Promo Code: Not NeededGet BonusT&Cs: Must be 21+. GAMBLING PROBLEM? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (AZ/CO/KY/MD/OH/MI/PA/TN/VA/VT/WV) or (888) 789-7777 or http://ccpg.org (CT), or 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), or 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), (800)-327-5050 or http://gamblinghelplinema.org (MA), or www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), Call (877-8-HOPENY) or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), or http://1800gambler.net (WV)

Fanatics Betting and Gaming replaced Rush Street Gaming as the Connecticut Lottery’s official sports betting provider in December 2023.

Although Fanatics Sportsbook is younger than all other CT sports betting apps, it launched as a serious contender from day one. Some of its highlights include advanced search capabilities (such as searching for individual players to find every prop bet involving them), AI-powered bet and promo recommendations individualized to each customer, and BetVision live streaming NFL games.

In addition to online betting, Fanatics operates retail sportsbooks in Connecticut.

Connecticut Sportsbook Promo Codes

Online SportsbookPromo CodeWelcome Bonus
FanDuel Connecticut Promo CodeN/ABet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets
DraftKings Connecticut Promo CodeN/ANo Sweat Bet up to $1,000

Connecticut Sports Betting Bonuses

Connecticut is a somewhat limited sports betting market, with only a few operators authorized to run mobile online sports betting sites and apps. However, competition is fierce, and CT betting bonuses will continue to play a role in each sportsbook’s marketing campaign.

Connecticut Law on Sports Betting Promotions

Connecticut’s sports betting regulations (here) touch on bonuses and promotions to ensure customers receive fair treatment.

Per data logging standards in CT sports betting regulations, operators must maintain a promotion log that records “all complimentaries and promotions issued and redeemed through the electronic wagering platform in a secure electronic log” necessary to audit compliance.

Additionally, marketing and advertising standards require operators to include responsible gambling messages, publish the minimum age to participate, and ensure advertisements “do not contain inaccurate or misleading information.”

Connecticut Sportsbook Locations

Connecticut is home to retail sportsbooks at Foxwoods Resort, Mohegan Sun, and other locations selected by the state lottery.

The CT Lottery may launch up to 15 retail sportsbooks under Fanatics Sportsbook branding throughout the state, including ten at existing Sportech off-track betting locations. The first locations opened in October 2021.

All Connecticut sportsbooks featured Rush Street Gaming branding initially, but that changed after Rush Street Gaming exited its partnership with the CT Lottery. In December 2023, the CT Lottery began rebranding its retail locations under the Fanatics Sportsbook name.

In addition to new imagery and signage, Connecticut sportsbooks have received upgraded odds screens and new self-serve betting kiosks.

Retail Sportsbooks at Connecticut Casinos

Fanatics Sportsbook Connecticut Locations

Connecticut Sports Betting Law

The state took a big step closer to legal sports betting in early 2021 when Governor Lamont announced an agreement with one of the state’s two gaming tribes for Connecticut sports betting and online gambling.

The other tribe got on board shortly after, and the Connecticut legislature passed the implementing legislation. Per the amended tribal gaming compacts, Connecticut regulates several types of online gambling sites and sports betting.

  • Connecticut tribes may offer mobile sports betting and retail sportsbooks
  • The CT Lottery may offer mobile sports betting and up to 15 retail sportsbooks; Lottery-run sportsbooks may not be located within 25 miles of a tribal casino
  • CT tribes may operate online casinos and poker sites
  • Fantasy sports officially legalized; operators must apply for DFS licenses
  • State to tax sports betting at 13.75%
  • State to tax online gambling at 18% for five years; 20% thereafter
  • Sportsbooks may not accept wagers on games involving in-state college teams

Additional regulations fill in the details regarding deposit methods, data privacy requirements, responsible gambling, and much more.

Legal CT sports betting is the result of the state renegotiating its gaming compacts with tribal casino operators to authorize sports betting. Governor Lamont signed the accompanying legislation, HB 6451, in May 2021, and lawmakers approved additional regulations to govern sports betting that August.

In September 2021, the Department of the Interior granted federal approval to the amended gaming compacts. With all necessary approvals in place, legal sports betting began on September 30th, 2021.

Connecticut had been flirting with the idea of legalizing sports betting since 2017, but it took several years to get a bill past the finish line.

Lawmakers first touched on the issue with the passage of HB 6948 in 2017 that tasked the Commissioner of Consumer Protection with adopting regulations to govern sports betting if federal and state law ever changes to permit sports betting in Connecticut.

The relevant portion of the bill read:

The Commissioner of Consumer Protection shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 of the general statutes, to regulate wagering on sporting events to the extent permitted by state and federal law.

Three competing bills proposed in 2020 also failed to bridge the divide between the tribes and lawmakers.

  • SB 21: Authorizes sports betting and online gambling, granting the tribes a monopoly over both and permitting the tribes to construct a casino in Bridgeport and allow the state lottery to take its games online. The tribes favored this bill.
  • HB 5168: Authorizes retail sportsbooks and online betting but does not grant the tribes exclusivity. Under HB 51658, tribal groups, OTBs, and the lottery would be eligible to apply for online betting licenses.
  • SB 212: Authorizes retail sportsbooks, online sports betting, online gambling, online lottery ticket sales, and online keno. SB 212 would also grant the tribes the option to construct a casino in Bridgeport.

Legalizing Connecticut sports betting was no easy task due to competing visions among stakeholders regarding how lawmakers should approach the industry.

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, operators of Foxwoods Casino, and the Mohegan Tribe, operators of the Mohegan Sun, began negotiations from the point of view that their gaming compacts with the state give them exclusive control over all forms of gambling, including sports betting.

Meanwhile, Sportech (Connecticut’s exclusive OTB operator) and would-be commercial operators contended they should have a place at the table as well.

The tribes also threatened to withhold more than $250 million in annual exclusivity payments to the state-mandated under existing compacts if they were not given a monopoly over sports betting.

All sides seemed firmly dug into their positions at one point, but an early 2021 breakthrough in negotiations set the stage for Connecticut to reach a compromise among all interested parties.

Connecticut Daily Fantasy Sports

When Connecticut amended its gaming compacts with the Mashantuckets and Mohegans to legalize sports betting, it also authorized daily fantasy sports. The negotiations resulted in Connecticut legalizing daily fantasy sports, but only for operators partnered with either tribe or the state lottery.

As a result, the Connecticut fantasy sports market is limited in scope and leaves players with few options. DraftKings and FanDuel are the only DFS sites to have applied for licenses, but only DraftKings remains active as a licensed fantasy sports operator in Connecticut.

Fans can read more about the Connecticut daily fantasy sports market below:

Connecticut Horse Racing Betting

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No live horse racing tracks operate in Connecticut today, but horse racing betting is legal at authorized off-track betting locations (OTBs) and via ADWs in the form of horse racing betting sites and mobile apps.

Connecticut authorized advance deposit wagering (ADW) in 2012 when it gave the OK to Sportech LLC to operate online betting. Sportech LLC offers online betting through MyWinners.com.

Sportech LLC insists MyWinners.com is the only licensed Connecticut horse racing betting site, but out-of-state operators such as TwinSpires and TVG continue to accept customers nonetheless.

Connecticut legalized off-track betting in 1976 and initially granted the Division of Special Revenue a monopoly over OTB wagering. Connecticut private and sold the OTB business to Autotote Enterprises in 1993. Sportech Ventures purchased the business from Autotote in 2010 and now runs all OTBs in Connecticut under the “Winners” brand.

There are now 10 Winners OTB locations in Connecticut:

  • Winners Bradley: 11 Schoephoester Road, Windsor Locks, CT 06096
  • Winners New Britain: 160 East Main Street, New Britain, CT 06051
  • Winners Hartford: 121 Brainard Road, Hartford, CT 06114
  • Winners Manchester: 103 Tolland Turnpike, Manchester, CT 06042
  • Winners Milford: 89 Roses Mill Road, Milford, CT 06460
  • Winners Norwalk: 24 Burnell Boulevard, Norwalk, CT 06800
  • Winners Sports Haven: 600 Long Wharf Drive, New Haven, CT 06511
  • Winners Stamford: 268 Atlantic Street, Stamford, CT 06901
  • Winners Torrington: 141 Water Street, Torrington, CT 06790
  • Winners Waterbury: 155 Thomaston Avenue, Waterbury, CT 06710

Connecticut Greyhound Racing

No Greyhound tracks operate in Connecticut at this time. Plainfield Greyhound Park was the first to launch in 1976 and was followed by Shoreline Star Greyhound Park in 1995. Declining attendance and revenue led to the closure of Plainfield Greyhound Park in 2005 and Shoreline Star Greyhound Park the following year.

Lawmakers have introduced bills to formally prohibit greyhound racing in Connecticut, but none have made it through the legislative process. However, a lack of authorized greyhound tracks effectively bans greyhound racing in Connecticut.

Legal Online Gambling in Connecticut

Online gambling is legal in Connecticut due to a new gaming compact between the state and its two casino tribal operators. The first CT online casinos opened in October 2021, beginning with a soft launch period open to 750 players. During the soft launch phase, Connecticut gambling sites offered 100 approved games but not live dealer games or online poker. After the soft launch phase ended, CT gambling sites fully opened their doors to all eligible customers 21 and older.

Connecticut online gambling law calls for an 18% tax on online gambling operators for the first five years and 20% after that.

Two bills dealing primarily with CT sports betting introduced in 2020 also included provisions to authorize online gambling. However, negotiations over online gambling remained sidelined due to tribal insistence that they retain exclusivity over all sports betting and gambling in the state.

Even so, there was a demand for Connecticut online gambling. In April 2020, for example, the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (SCCOG) asked Governor Ned Lamont to issue an executive order authorizing the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes to offer online gambling. The SSCOG argued legalization was necessary to offset heavy losses sustained due to the COVID-19 outbreak that resulted in the closures of Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun.

Governor Lamont rejected the request out of concern that it would be unwise to take such drastic action without legislative approval. He also stated lawmakers should proceed with caution in authorizing online gambling sites during a time when residents are stuck inside their homes and financially stressed.

In part, the letter read:

“While I very much share the concerns you express about the financial distress the pandemic is causing our Tribal partners, I must decline your specific request. Authorizing online gaming and enabling consumers to more easily access gambling is a significant policy decision that has not yet been embraced or acted upon by our legislature. Doing so at a time when so many Connecticut residents are in financial distress would be a particularly significant policy decision to make without legislative approval.”

Connecticut Gambling Laws

Connecticut gambling laws clearly outlaw any form of gambling not authorized within the state. There are two statutes in particular that explain how the state defines gambling and the penalties for engaging in unregulated gambling.

Section 53-278a defines gambling and professional gambling with the following text:

(2) “Gambling” means risking any money, credit, deposit or other thing of value for gain contingent in whole or in part upon lot, chance or the operation of a gambling device, including the playing of a casino gambling game such as blackjack, poker, craps, roulette or a slot machine, but does not include: Legal contests of skill, speed, strength or endurance in which awards are made only to entrants or the owners of entries…

(3) “Professional gambling” means accepting or offering to accept, for profit, money, credits, deposits or other things of value risked in gambling, or any claim thereon or interest therein. Without limiting the generality of this definition, the following shall be included: Pool-selling and bookmaking; maintaining slot machines, one-ball machines or variants thereof, pinball machines, which award anything other than an immediate and unrecorded right of replay, roulette wheels, dice tables, or money or merchandise pushcards, punchboards, jars or spindles, in any place accessible to the public; and except as provided in sections 7-169 to 7-186, inclusive, conducting lotteries, gift enterprises, disposal or sale of property by lottery or hazard or policy or numbers games, or selling chances therein; and the following shall be presumed to be included: Conducting any banking game played with cards, dice or counters, or accepting any fixed share of the stakes therein;

From there, we can see that Connecticut has a pretty broad interpretation of what it considers gambling. Traditional casino games, sports betting and poker are all included. Section 53-278b explains the penalties for engaging in gambling as a player and as a business operator:

(a) Any person who engages in gambling, or solicits or induces another to engage in gambling, or is present when another person or persons are engaged in gambling, shall be guilty of a class B misdemeanor; provided natural persons shall be exempt from prosecution and punishment under this subsection for any game, wager or transaction which is incidental to a bona fide social relationship, is participated in by natural persons only and in which no person is participating, directly or indirectly, in professional gambling.

(b) Any person who engages in professional gambling shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor.

What this all means is if you’re caught playing unlicensed gambling games in Connecticut, you will face a Class B misdemeanor charge which includes a punishment of up to 6 months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. If you get caught running your own underground games, you can be hit with a Class A misdemeanor which is good for up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $2,000.

The state does make an exception for social poker games. If you and a couple of friends decide to get together and play poker for real money and the house does not earn a profit, it’s legal. The important thing is you have a “bona fide” social relationship with the other players outside of poker.

The CT government website has a nice summary of the legal situation here.

Connecticut Sports Betting FAQ

Yes. Connecticut legalized sports betting by renegotiating its gaming compacts with tribal gaming operators and passing accompanying legislation to authorize retail sportsbooks and mobile betting.

Connecticut bettors can place wagers from anywhere in state lines via licensed online betting apps or in-person at authorized retail sportsbooks:

  • Mobile betting: DraftKings, FanDuel, and Fanatics Sportsbook
  • Sportsbooks at casinos: Foxwood Casino and Mohegan Sun Casino
  • CT Lottery sportsbooks: The CT Lottery and Fanatics may offer in-person wagering at up to 15 locations

Connecticut law requires all customers to be 21 or older to bet on sports.

Yes. Connecticut sports betting law allows sportsbooks to offer wagers on college sports except for games that involve local universities.

Yes. Connecticut sports betting law mentions esports by name as an authorized category event upon which licensed sportsbooks may offer wagers.

Connecticut online sportsbooks may offer wagers on professional and college sports, international events, the Olympics, and esports. The types of bets sportsbooks may offer include all mainstream formats, including pregame wagers, in-play betting, player props, and parlays.

The Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) and state lottery oversee sports betting in Connecticut.

Regulations adopted by the Department of Consumer Protection require licensed sportsbook apps to provide responsible gambling information to customers, including links and phone numbers to problem gambling resources.

Additionally, online sportsbooks must provide methods for bettors to initiate breaks from betting and clearly display customers’ account balances.

No. Residents and visitors alike may bet on sports online or in-person at retail sportsbooks whenever they’re in Connecticut. State law allows bettors to download sports betting apps, make deposits, and withdraw from anywhere, but customers must be within state lines to place wagers.

FanDuel, DraftKings, and Fanatics Sportsbook are the only betting sites authorized in Connecticut.

The first Connecticut betting sites launched in October 2021.

Yes. Connecticut residents may bet on Triple Crown events (Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, and the Preakness Stakes) with advance deposit wagering apps (ADWs) like Twinspires.com.