First retail sportsbooks in the state
Retail sports betting is all set to kick off in Connecticut on Thursday at Foxwoods Resort Casino, courtesy of DraftKings, and at Mohegan Sun via FanDuel. The temporary DraftKings Sportsbook will be at the Ultimate Race Book in the resort’s Rainmaker Casino. There will also be betting kiosks located throughout the property.
committed to helping develop problem gambling prevention and awareness programs
In the coming weeks, Foxwoods and DraftKings plan to announce the opening of their permanent retail sportsbook, which is still in the final construction stages. The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, DraftKings, and Foxwoods are all focused on promoting responsible gambling. Foxwoods and the tribe are committed to helping develop problem gambling prevention and awareness programs. This includes the operation of the first self-exclusion program in the United States.
Starting Thursday morning, the Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook will accept wagers at four live betting windows and 50 self-service terminals.
An exciting partnership
Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Chairman Rodney Butler welcomed the news of the upcoming launch, saying: “Today we celebrate a new era for our Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, sports fans, Foxwoods guests and Connecticut residents.”
He went on to thank Governor Ned Lamont and his administration, as well as regulators and the lawmakers who helped make legal sports betting a reality in Connecticut. The tribe is looking forward to having a successful launch with the NFL season in full flow.
DraftKings North America president and co-founder Matt Kalish also spoke about the operator’s enthusiasm at bringing retail sports betting to people in the state. He said: “By leveraging the Tribe’s expertise in developing and operating one of the largest resort casinos in the world, we are excited to bring new offerings for consumers in The Constitution State.”
Foxwoods Resort Casino is North America’s biggest resort casino. The resort consists of six casinos and more than 2,200 hotel rooms. It partnered up with DraftKings back in December 2020.
DraftKings is one of the largest sports betting operators in the US today. It currently has retail and/or online sportsbooks live in 16 states, including New Jersey, New York, Arizona, Colorado, and Pennsylvania. It also has online casinos live in certain states, as well as daily fantasy sports offerings around the country. DraftKings has partnerships with many sports organizations and teams in US, including being an official NFL sports betting partner.
Gambling expansion in Connecticut
Statewide online sports betting and iGaming in Connecticut are set to launch at the beginning of October, pending the relevant regulatory approvals. Governor Lamont gave the green light for both legal sports betting and iGaming with the signing of House Bill 6451. The Department of the Interior has since given its seal of approval for the amended tribal gaming compacts.
Both the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Mohegan Tribe can offer online casinos, retail and online sports betting, and daily fantasy sports contests. They will pay 13.75% in tax on sports betting revenue. The Connecticut Lottery can also operate 15 retail sports betting locations and have a single online sportsbook skin. The Connecticut Lottery has teamed up with BetRivers, while FanDuel is partnered with the Mohegan Tribe.