sports betting

Fantasy Contests Are Now Legal In Connecticut

NBC Universal, Inc.

Fantasy sports contests are now legal in Connecticut. That means all you have to do is grab your phone and place a bet. 

“Currently the fantasy sports market in Connecticut is north of 100 to 150,000 people already playing,” Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Chairman Rodney Butler said.  

Now that it’s legal there will likely be more people signing on. 

NBC Connecticut wanted to see what it took to sign up for an account, so we went to Draft Kings, which is affiliated with Foxwoods. 

Right now fantasy contests are legal in Connecticut only for anyone over the age of 18.  When signing up, you will be asked to verify your age and address. Connecticut residents can only place a bet within the borders of the state. 

You can then enter your credit card information, and make a deposit. You can place a bet on anything from fantasy baseball to MMA, golf and even tennis.

This is all part of the gaming expansion approved by Gov. Ned Lamont and the General Assembly. 

“It certainly modernizes the gaming marketplace in Connecticut, the deal that was reached,” Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner Michelle Seagull said. 

Fantasy sports have been legal since July 1. 

“If gambling addiction is something you’re struggling with you may want to be thoughtful about this, but otherwise this is certainly legal in Connecticut,” Seagull said.  

The Department of Consumer Protection issued provisional licenses to the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan Tribes and the Connecticut Lottery. The Mashantuckets have contracted with Draft Kings, the Mohegans have contracted with Fan Duel and the Connecticut Lottery has not entered an agreement with a fantasy sports operator. 

“Right now there’s sort of a lull in the sports season. We’ll get the tail end of the baseball season. The Olympics I think people will probably look at that from a fantasy sports perspective,’ Butler said. 

“Fantasy sports and sports betting really spike in the NFL season and the NCAA tournament,” Butler said.  

Butler said he’s hoping the Department of Interior signs off on the changes to the compact before the NFL season starts in September.  

“This has been a very long process but I guarantee for us and the state of Connecticut it’s going to be well worth the wait,” Butler said.

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