The limited rollout of online wagering in Connecticut is “going well so far,” according to the state Department of Consumer Protection, which is on track to allow online gambling statewide beginning Oct. 19, barring any issues.
Kaitlyn Krasselt, a spokesperson for the agency, said Wednesday the department’s team has been working with the state’s three operators, the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes and the Connecticut Lottery Corp. and their vendors. They’re making sure the platforms are working properly and there are no glitches in the security infrastructure and the limitations on where people can place bets, who can sign up to play and how.
She said the seven-day “soft launch,” which began Tuesday afternoon, is also an opportunity for state regulators to make sure the state’s three operators are able to provide required reports.
“Everything is going well so far, and our team is looking forward to continuing to work with the operators through the rest of the soft launch,” Krasselt said. “As long as no major issues arise, the full launch will begin next week.”
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Each of the three operators are allowed to sign up a maximum of 750 patrons during the seven-day launch. All three were expected to reach that cap. They can offer sports wagering to those patrons during certain times. By Saturday, all three are expected to begin running on a 24-hour cycle through the rest of the soft launch period, DCP said in a statement.
The two tribes, which own and operate Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino, are also allowed to offer certain online casino games during the soft launch. The two casinos and their respective vendors — DraftKings at Foxwoods and FanDuel at Mohegan Sun — both unveiled in-person sports betting sites on Sept. 30 at the casinos.
The Connecticut Lottery Corp. is partnering with off-track-betting operator Sportech to eventually roll out sports betting kiosks in 10 Sportech venues in the state. Krasselt said on Wednesday that state regulators are still awaiting some required documentation before that can happen. Rush Street Interactive, the lottery’s vendor, operates the sportsbook under the brand PlaySugarHouse.
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Tara Chozet, a spokesperson for the lottery, tweeted Wednesday that Major League Baseball attracted the most bets on the first day of the lottery’s new online sportsbook on Tuesday. She said professional hockey and professional and college football games were also popular sports for gamblers. Bets were also placed on golf, tennis and mixed martial arts matches.
