Connecticut prepares online sports betting ‘soft launch’
Constitution State to limit online usage to just 750 customers per betting platform as part of seven-day initial rollout
Connecticut’s online sports betting market is finally set to go live after Constitution State officials gave the green light to proceed on October 12.
A soft launch of online sports betting will officially commence at 3pm and will kickstart a seven-day rollout period to allow for any remaining issues to be ironed out.
Each operator will be limited to just 750 users per platform, with licensed state operators already eligible to acquire customers.
During the first two days of operation (Tuesday and Wednesday), online betting will only be permitted between 3pm and 11pm.
On Thursday and Friday, this switches to an online betting window of 12pm-11:59pm, before switching again to a 24-hour cycle for the remaining days.
Online casino gaming will also be subject to the soft launch, with limitations on the number of patrons and games or verticals offered.
Game catalogues will be restricted to those approved by the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (CDCP), which currently stands at more than 100 games.
However, live dealer or peer-to-peer online casino games will not be included as part of the soft launch.
As with online sports betting, online casino gameplay will be limited to 750 users only for the duration of the soft launch.
DraftKings has an agreement to operate online sports betting and igaming with Foxwoods Resort Casino operator the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, while FanDuel has aligned itself with the Mohegan Tribe.
Rush Street Interactive (RSI) is also set to introduce sports betting in the state after having partnered with the Connecticut Lottery Corporation.
The launch of online sports betting in the Constitution State had been originally slated for October 5 but was postponed following delays to the publication of tribal sports betting agreements in the Federal Register.
Publication of the agreements in the Federal Register triggers the issuance of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) document, which effectively gives the state the authority to proceed with the launch.
However, the documents did not get published in the Federal Register until September.
CDCP commissioner Michelle H. Seagull praised the work of the regulator and the operators involved in pushing the process forward.
“We appreciate the hard work of our licensees and their teams, as well as the team at DCP, for their diligence in ensuring these platforms are compliant with the regulations approved by the legislature,” Seagull said.
“As long as no issues arise, we have told the licensees they may move forward with the seven-day soft launch required in the regulations.
“Once the soft launch is complete, online gaming will open state-wide,” she added.
Subject to the successful completion of the soft launch, unrestricted licensed sports betting and online casino will begin in Connecticut on October 19.