Connecticut hit by online market delay as launch postponed
Officials blame hold-up in publication of sports betting operator agreements in Federal Register
The planned launch of online gambling and sports betting in Connecticut today has been postponed following issues with the publication of tribal sports betting compacts at a federal level.
Officials from the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (CDCP), which oversees regulatory matters for the Constitution State, suggested the fault was with federal authorities.
The CDCP pointed to delays in the publication of DraftKings’ agreement with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, which operates the Foxwoods Resort Casino, and FanDuel’s agreement with the Mohegan Tribe, which operates the Mohegan Sun casino resort.
It is understood the FanDuel/Mohegan agreement was published in the Federal Register on September 15, while the DraftKings/Mashantucket Pequot agreement was only published in the Federal Register on September 27.
The Federal Register functions in a similar way to official gazettes used internationally, serving as the guide to US legislation. It contains government agency rules, proposed rules, and public notices and is published every weekday, except on federal holidays.
Publication of the agreements in the Federal Register triggers the issuance of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) document, which effectively gives the state the green light to proceed with the launch.
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In comments issued to local media, CDCP spokesperson Kaitlyn Krasselt said: “We are still working to finalize the details of the state-wide online and retail launch of sports betting.
“We are working with the licensees to ensure their platforms are certified and in compliance with the regulations prior to launch.
“As such, no date has been set, but we do not anticipate it to be a lengthy delay,” Krasselt added.
The other operator in the state is Rush Street Interactive (RSI), which agreed a deal to become the Connecticut Lottery Corporation’s (CLC) main sports betting partner when it launches its own sportsbook.
The CLC is one of only three entities in Connecticut with rights to operate mobile and retail sports betting and is the only one with the ability to operate retail sports betting outside of tribal territories across more than 3,000 retail outlets.
Eleven of the CLC’s 15 sports betting retail locations will be located in seven of the state’s 10 most populous cities, serving more than a quarter of Connecticut’s 3.6 million inhabitants.
Retail sports betting in Connecticut, which began last week, is thought to be unaffected by the online launch issues.