Connecticut

Gambling has been a major factor in Connecticut for quite a while, but it wasn’t until 2021 that the state legalized retail and online sports betting, and the brand-name sports betting operators made their appearance in the Constitution State.

For the most part, Connecticut bettors have free reign on what they can bet on, but one stipulation is that they cannot wager on in-state colleges such as UConn unless they are playing in a tournament, e.g., March Madness. This restriction is relatively standard across some states that have legalized sports betting.

Outside of pro and collegiate sports (excluding local schools), bettors in the state also have the option to bet on horse racing or partake in daily fantasy sports on prominent apps like Underdog Fantasy. All DFS apps in the state must give a 30-minute pop-up for responsible gaming purposes. After this pop-up, users must log out and use two-factor authentication again.

Betting on e-sports is also allowed except when involving a Connecticut college team and if the event is not part of an intercollegiate tournament.

From fishing boats to betting slips: Turning lobster prices into a legal wager

Connecticut’s legendary maritime culture and thriving seafood industry make it a prime candidate for a financial-style wagering market focused on lobster prices. Just as commodity traders wager on the changes in oil or gold prices, gamblers could place bets on the rising and falling costs of fresh lobster. With unpredictable factors like weather conditions, seasonal demand, and international trade influencing seafood prices, this market could potentially provide high-risk, high-reward betting opportunities.

Fishermen, foodies, and gamblers alike could participate, blending industry insight with speculation. While such a market would close the gap between investing and gambling, it could create a niche market for bettors seeking a change from traditional sports and casino games.

Online sports betting in The Constitution State

Like many other U.S. states, Connecticut needed to negotiate with the local tribes to fully legalize sports betting. Since gambling was such a big part of the state to begin with, the biggest issue over the years was negotiating a deal that worked for the local tribes. Under HB 6451, the tribes agreed to legalize sports betting if they partnered with two of the three online sportsbooks that would be allowed to operate in the state.

Before the deal in 2021, the state had two sports betting bills (HB 5158 and SB 21) fall apart during legislative hearings in 2020.

Once the bill was passed and agreed upon, the Mohegan Tribe partnered with FanDuel, and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation partnered with DraftKings. The last online skin allowed in the state was originally SugarHouse, which partnered with the state lottery. However, they no longer operate in CT; instead, the Fanatics Sportsbook is the third and final mobile book allowed to operate.

Of course, given the popularity of betting in Connecticut, plenty of sportsbooks applied for the final online license through a partnership with the state’s lottery. Fifteen applied for the spot. While the names of those sportsbooks were not released, one can assume BetMGM, Caesars, and Bet365 made a push.

It will be quite some time before these sportsbooks can enter the CT market unless something similar to the SugarHouse situation occurs. CT licenses last ten years, so DK, FD, and Fanatics will provide residents with their mobile betting needs for the foreseeable future.

All legal CT sports betting apps in 2025 (from newest to oldest):

Sports betting & gambling legislation in CT

Once the state and tribes reached an agreement, sports betting was launched in retail form on September 30th, 2021, and mobile betting was fully launched on October 19th of the same year. To place a proper legal wager in person or online in CT, bettors must be at least 21. Each bettor inside the state is subject to a 6.99% tax on all winnings.

While bettors do not need to be physically present in a casino to create a mobile betting account, they must be within the state’s borders. All bets on those accounts also must be made inside CT lines. The regulating body that oversees and enforces these rules and regulations is the Connecticut State Department of Consumer Protection.

In addition to sports betting, Connecticut offers many other gambling options, including online casinos, online poker, and a state lottery system. Connecticut was the sixth state to legalize online gambling, and currently, they offer residents two interactive casino platforms, both of which offer over 100 different games.

Mystic pizza eating contests: A tasty new frontier for Connecticut bettors

In Mystic, Connecticut, the smell of saltwater mingles with marinara at one of the town’s most iconic spots, Mystic Pizza. Which also happens to be the name of a famous movie. Aside from being a big tourist attraction for foodies and movie buffs, this historic area and pizza could also be the epicenter of a new food-themed betting market. 

Tourists and locals alike could place micro-wagers on who finishes a pie first or who eats the most slices in a select amount of time. With many Connecticut sportsbooks already offering novelty props around entertainment and minor sporting events, food-themed competitions like this could bring a fresh revenue stream, especially if tethered to popular eateries and seasonal festivals.

Even better, local businesses could get a promotional boost, turning a quick slice into a full-on tourist attraction. With Mystic Pizza’s pop culture legacy and the rising popularity of food-based experiences, betting on food competitions might be Connecticut’s next big money-maker for its growing betting infrastructure.

Shoreline mansion price prop bets: Guess the closest list price of new million-dollar listings

In Connecticut’s upscale coastal towns such as Greenwich and Darien, million-dollar listings are as common as manicured hedges, and they’re attracting more than just buyers. Instead of just home-buyers, this high-stakes real estate market could attract bettors as well. Bettors could place wagers on which newly listed mansion sells first, which one shatters the town’s price-per-square-foot record, or the over/under on the final sale price.

With public real estate data, curated listing alerts, and seasonal inventory trends, this “Zillow market” could thrive as a unique betting category alongside traditional sports. Geofenced mobile apps or social sportsbooks could certainly integrate these wagers if they felt as if it could bring in solid profit from a demographic they don’t usually cater to.

Most recent updates from the CT sports betting scene

• April 7, 2025: By beating South Carolina, the UConn Huskies women's basketball team has won their 12th national championship.

• April 1, 2025: Just like many other US states, Connecticut also starts investigating Kalshi over concerns its event-based contracts may qualify as unlicensed sports betting. The Department of Consumer Protection suspects legal violations but has not yet disclosed further details.

• March 17, 2025: The UConn Huskies will be a #8 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Huskies will play Oklahoma in the Round of 64 and are (+600) to reach the Sweet 16.

• March 10, 2025: Entering the Big East Tournament, the UConn Huskies have the third-best odds to win at (+400).

• March 3, 2025: With the NCAA Tournament around the corner, the UConn Huskies are (+1900) to reach the Final Four.

• February 10, 2025: After suffering a loss at home to St. John's, the UConn Huskies are (+4000) to win the National Championship and (+950) to reach the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament.

• January 31, 2025: The UConn Huskies will enter the 2025 college baseball season as heavy favorites to win the Big East Regular Season title at (-250) on BetRivers.

• January 20, 2025: Following a rare home conference loss, the UConn Huskies are (+700) to win the Big East regular-season title.

• January 10, 2025: With a loss to Villanova earlier in the week, the UConn Huskies are now (+300) to win the Big East regular season title.

In-person sports betting sites and locations

Since gambling has been legal in CT for quite some time, many casinos were already very popular and functional by the time sports betting rolled around, so getting a retail sportsbook for them was only an added bonus.

Outside of tribal casinos that have partnered with DraftKings or FanDuel, the state’s lottery can run up to 15 retail sportsbooks, but as of right now, they only have eight in service. Under the sports betting bill, the lottery can also have Sportech run some of these retail books since they are the state’s official off-track provider.

How VR casinos could revolutionize online gambling in Connecticut

As online gambling continues to evolve, the next major innovation might be virtual reality (VR) casinos, enabling players to enter a fully immersive digital world from their homes. With Mohegan Sun already expanding into online gaming, could it become the first Connecticut casino to enter the Metaverse?

The basic idea involves logging into a virtual Mohegan Sun, where bettors can stroll through a digital casino floor, sit at a blackjack table, and chat with other gamblers just as they would in the casino—all while wearing a VR headset. While this may sound like an idea from a Black Mirror episode, this concept isn’t far-fetched, as casinos in Europe and Las Vegas are already exploring VR poker rooms and AI-powered dealers.

For Mohegan Sun, expanding into the Metaverse could attract tech-savvy gamblers and new audiences by offering a unique gaming experience that competes with traditional online casinos. However, legal and regulatory challenges remain, as Connecticut’s gambling laws may need updates to launch an idea like this, while the question of how these casinos would enforce the state’s legal gambling age also emerges as a significant challenge.

Sports betting in neighboring states

Sports betting in the Northeast is certainly not limited to Connecticut. Bettors who travel the area will also find sports betting in New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.

By clicking on the states in the box below, you can find more information on the rules and guidelines for sports betting in the surrounding states.

Sports betting revenue impact on Connecticut's economy

Connecticut's decision to legalize sports betting has been profitable. During 2024, the state averaged close to over $150 million a month in the betting handle, while tax coffers saw around $2 million in income from sports betting alone on a monthly basis. Of course, it does help that the state's gambling bill allows for an expansive market as long as operators can obtain a license.

Looking at the totals, as of April 2025, CT bettors had legally placed more than $6.1 billion worth of sports wagers in the state, which resulted in +$610 million of sportsbook revenue and over $68 million of total tax income for the state.

Regarding licenses, only three were handed out for online skins as long as they partnered with a tribe or the lottery. There are currently 12 retail betting sites in the state, with up to 15 allowed under the sports betting bill. Each license in the state is good for ten years. While tribal operators don’t have a license fee, each online operator pays a $250,000 fee to obtain their license.

Sports betting revenue these operators make is taxed at 13.75% for retail and online, which is slightly above average compared to other states with legalized sports betting.

Connecticut sports betting record months:

• Sports betting handle: December 2024 ($243,670,782)

• Revenue: November 2024 ($30,310,967)

• Tax income: November 2024 ($3,509,155)

Latest CT sports betting revenue report breakdown (February 2025)

• Total betting handle: $169,389,080

  • Mobile betting handle: $162,231,213

  • Retail betting handle: $7,157,867

• Total winnings paid to patrons: $148,600,938

  • Winnings paid in mobile betting: $141,854,830

  • Winnings paid in retail wagering: $6,746,108

• Hold: 12.27%

• Gross revenue: $20,418,665

  • Adjusted (taxable) revenue: $17,067,160

• Tax revenue for the state: $2,346,734

Reported by the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection.

Top 3 sportsbook apps in the state in February 2025:

1. FanDuel (Mohegan Digital, LLC):

   • Handle: $69.4m

   • Revenue: $9.5m

2. DraftKings (MPI Master Wagering License CT, LLC):

   • Handle: $62.4m

   • Revenue: $7.4m

3. Fanatics Sportsbook (CT Lottery Corp):

   • Handle: $30.5m

   • Revenue: $3.1m

The current CT mobile sports betting market share - Feb 2025

Connecticut online sports betting market shares - Full 2024 year

Recent revenue report data - Compared to the previous year (YoY)

CT sports betting revenue in 2025

We have gathered the 2025 monthly sports betting handle, revenue, and tax income reported by the Connecticut State Department for Consumer Protection in the table below. In addition, we've calculated how handle and revenue have changed compared to the previous month (percentage in brackets).

2024 revenue data

Yearly revenue totals

From crew races to cash flow: Betting on the state’s maritime identity

Connecticut’s renowned maritime culture and famous events like the Head of the Housatonic Regatta offer untapped potential for expanding the state’s sports betting economy. With structured races, time-based scoring, and mass amounts of engaged spectators, these events are primed for prop betting markets, such as fastest time, winning margins, or weather-related performance shifts.

If just 0.1% of Connecticut’s $1.5 billion annual sports betting handle came from regatta and rowing wagers, that would translate to $1.5 million in handle and generate an estimated $225,000 in additional tax revenue under the current 15% tax rate. These niche markets could also enhance local economies and solidify Connecticut’s identity as a coastal athletic hub.

As novelty and event-based betting gain traction around the country, Connecticut can evolve its own market by embracing culture-heavy, low-risk betting markets.