Connecticut Legislation Proposes Sports Betting Limits, Interstate Online Poker

Connecticut Legislation Proposes Sports Betting Limits, Interstate Online Poker

The Connecticut General Assembly is in session until June 4. In the meantime, the legislature will keep considering various bills related to gaming. 

Last week, legislators in the Hartford capital considered a different bill concerning gaming. 

Senate Bill 1464 would include online poker as an allowable type of internet gambling in the state and permit the governor to negotiate with other states to share player liquidity. SB1464 would also establish limits on online sports betting. 

The legislation was put forward by the General Law Committee of the Senate. A public hearing is scheduled for this Wednesday, March 12. 

The statute for sports betting and online poker adds to various other gaming bills presented this session. 

Additional measures that are still in effect consist of laws to permit and manage in-flight sports wagering on commercial flights that start or terminate in Connecticut, a proposal that encounters significant challenges due to federal regulations. Another law pending in the corridors of the Hartford capital would remove the prohibition on sports wagering related to local colleges and universities. 

Límites de Apuestas Deportivas, Póker en Línea 

If approved by the General Assembly and signed by Gov. Ned Lamont (D), SB1464 would establish “maximum sports wagers” for online sports betting. The law does not define the exact amount for that ceiling but assigns Consumer Protection Commissioner Bryan Cafferelli “to create regulations that set maximum bets for online sports betting.” 

The legislation would also permit peer-to-peer casino games online via the state’s two licensed, regulated iGaming platforms, DraftKings and FanDuel. The iGaming leaders have teamed up with the two federally acknowledged tribes in the state.

"Peer-to-peer casino game means a card game, contest, or tournament, including, but not limited to, a poker game, contest, or tournament in which patrons compete against one another and do not compete against the licensee operating such game,” the bill reads.

SB1464 would permit DraftKings and FanDuel, the online casino and mobile sportsbook affiliates of Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, to impose a fee, or rake, for managing the interactive poker games. 

With a population of 3.7 million, ranking 29th in the U.S., Connecticut faces challenges in ensuring a sufficient player base for a strong, continuous online poker scene. For this reason, SB1464 would grant Lamont the power to establish a player-sharing agreement with other states that allow online poker. 

The player liquidity situation would probably lead to Connecticut becoming a part of the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement. The framework now includes five states that collaborate on shared online poker pools. The states include Delaware, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, and West Virginia. Pennsylvania is also contemplating joining, which would provide the pool with a surge of significant new participants. 

Casino Bill Sweeps 

In evaluating gaming expansion and consumer protections, lawmakers in Connecticut are examining a bill to outlaw online sites that market themselves as “sweepstakes” platforms, although opponents argue they enable illegal gambling. 

Senate Bill 1235 stipulates that anyone caught conducting illegal online gambling disguised as sweepstakes or promotional drawings will face a Class D felony charge. An individual convicted of such an offense faces a prison term of as long as five years and a fine of $5,000.