The Connecticut Lottery Receives 15 Sportsbook Applicants

The Connecticut General Assembly has not yet passed House Bill 6451 to regulate sports betting in the state.
Under the bill, the Connecticut Lottery will be able to participate in sports wagering and has received 15 applicants vying to be their official operator.
It is expected that CT HB 6451 will pass and Connecticut will launch sportsbooks by the start of the 2021 NFL season.

HARTFORD, Conn. – The Connecticut Lottery began accepting bids from sports betting operators on April 12 with the window for applicants closing on Friday, but which applicant will become the official sportsbook for the Connecticut Lottery? Within those eleven days, 15 separate sports wagering platforms applied for the coveted position.

“We are pleased to see significant interest from companies who would like to partner with the CLC to bring our online and retail sports betting offering to market,” said Rob Simmelkjaer, Chairman of the Connecticut Lottery Corporation. “Our staff and board will now begin a process of carefully reviewing the qualifications of the submitting parties as we work towards choosing the right partner in this important initiative for our state.”

Sports Betting Has Not Been Officially Regulated In Connecticut Yet

While Governor Ned Lamont and the Mashantucket Pequots and Mohegan Tribes have come to a Tribal Gaming Compact agreement to give Connecticut a regulated sports betting industry, the proposal still needs to pass through the Connecticut General Assembly.

Under House Bill 6451, both of the tribes will be able to have retail and mobile sportsbooks. The Connecticut Lottery was also included within the measure to open a mobile sports betting platform as well as have up to 15 retailers statewide that could provide sports betting slips.

The Mashantucket Pequots partnered with DraftKings for their retail and mobile sports betting operations while the Mohegan Indians found their sports betting platform with Kambi. The tribes will each see a tax rate on all GGR of 13.75% but the lottery does not have a tax percentage nailed down just yet.

Other states with lottery sports betting outlets typically see at least 50% collected on all handle. With the window for applicants now closed, the Connecticut Lottery will begin having applicants provide them with presentations as to why they’d be the best fit for the position.

The lottery is looking for a company with a proven track record of success and the ability to grow a following among a list of other qualities. There is no word as to who the 15 applicants being considered are but it’s safe to say that many will be famous sports betting operators known nationwide. The choice will be made and announced on May 17.

What’s Next?

The Connecticut General Assembly will adjourn on June 9. House Bill 6451 should be passed by then. The rules and regulations for the Connecticut sports betting market have not yet been ironed out. Mobile and land-based sports betting is expected to launch by the beginning of the 2021 NFL season. Connecticut sports bettors will have three mobile operators that will be available statewide to choose from.

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Christina Monroe

Christina has been writing for as long as she can remember and does dedicated research on the newly regulated sports betting market. She comes from a family of sports lovers that engage in friendly bets from time to time. During the winter months, you can find Christina baking cookies and beating the entire staff at Mario Kart…the N64 version of course.