- The Connecticut state senate passed a bill to legalize online gambling in various forms.
- The bill will be signed by Gov. Ned Lamont, and then sent to federal regulators.
- Should it receive regulatory approval, CT will have legal online sports betting, gambling and lottery play.
LAS VEGAS - Connecticut’s online gambling legalization bill proceeded as expected and passed the Senate with flying colors.
The Senate approved the bill with a vote tally of 28-6, and the bill is expected to be signed by Governor Ned Lamont.
The journey for a bill that could pass the House and Senate in CT ended fairly abruptly in 2021, when both chambers agreed to legalize online sports betting, online gambling in the form of keno and online lottery ticket sales.
For a bill this expansive, there’s been very little pushback, partially because the state needs federal approval for this expansion.
Some of the gambling expansion in this bill comes via the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes, as their compacts had to be amended in the course of this legislation.
Any amendments to tribal compacts must be approved by the United States Department of the Interior.
The amendments are such that sports betting would be shared between the tribal casinos and the state lottery.
Governor Lamont has expressed a desire to get the bill passed and signed as soon as possible, so as to receive federal approval - or not - in a swift timeframe.
LaMont offered a statement on the passage of the bill, praising the General Assembly for getting it through, and thanking the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes for their contributions.
"I want to congratulate and thank the Connecticut General Assembly for approving historic legislation, negotiated by my office, which modernizes Connecticut’s gaming landscape," said Lamont. "I also want to thank our tribal partners, the Mohegan Tribe and Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, for their constructive and collaborative efforts, both in negotiating the agreement and working through the details of this legislation. This is a significant moment for our state as, for the first time, we will allow sports wagering, online casino gaming, and entry of the Connecticut Lottery Corporation into this space. I look forward to signing this legislation into law, which is in the best interests of the State of Connecticut and its citizens."
Lamont’s statement seems confident not just in the direction the bill took, but in its passage through federal regulations.
Time will tell if his confidence is misplaced or not.