Connecticut Governor backs legal sports betting and igaming

Gov. Lamont said Connecticut should work with neighbouring states and tribes to develop legal sports betting and igaming markets.

US.- Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has openly backed legal sports betting and online gambling as a way of responding to the coronavirus-induced economic crisis.

Speaking during his State of the State address earlier this week, the Governor said Connecticut should work with neighbouring states and tribes to form a legal sports betting and online gambling market in 2021.

“Sports betting, internet gaming and legalised marijuana are happening all around us. Let’s not surrender these opportunities to out-of-state markets or even worse, underground markets,” Lamont said.

Neighbouring states such as New Jersey and Rhode Island have shed some light on the incomes that states can take advantage of within the framework of a legal sports betting market.

While New York allows casinos to offer legal sports betting, it does not yet have a legal online market, although Governor Andrew Cuomo has finally expressed support.

Bordering state Massachusetts on the other hand recently eliminated sports betting from its economic development bill despite pressure from a coalition in favour of regulating the activity.

Connecticut currently offers legal gambling at just two tribal casinos in the state – the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation-owned Foxwoods and Mohegan Tribe’s Mohegan Sun.

Any sports betting and online gambling legislation must have the support of the two tribes.

The two properties reported huge losses across 2020 due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the industry.