Gambling in Connecticut

Gambling in Connecticut (CT) is famous for its super casinos. These mega-casinos in Connecticut are among some of the largest in the world, attracting many national and international visitors. Other than the super casinos, the state is relatively conservative in adopting new forms of gambling. While the adoption process is usually slow and deliberate for the different types of gambling, the state eventually gets around to legalizing a varied range of progressive gambling types, and the state even has some limited online poker options (in casino grounds only) and an online state lottery.

In October 2021, the state legalized online casino gambling and online poker as well as sports gambling, both online and at retail sites across Connecticut

Connecticut’s land-based casino business has gone from virtually nothing in the mid-1980’s to operating two of the largest super-casinos in the world outside of Las Vegas or Macau.

Connecticut has an interesting business model for its gaming with Tribal Casinos paying revenue back to the state. In that way, the Connecticut casino business model can be seen to be a hybrid mix of Tribal & Commercial Casinos. At Connecticut’s Casinos, you’ll find more than 12,300 slots and gaming machines and more than 900 table games.

From 1986, and the introduction of bingo halls on self-regulating Indian Reservation land (exempt from the wider state laws of Connecticut), the mega Casino resorts carry huge poker rooms that attract the best players of the professional Poker Tour and regular tournaments are held.

Of course, with that level of gambling services, support services at Connecticut’s Casinos such as international shows, restaurants, shopping and adjoining hotels are all of world-class standard.

In 2021, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed into law a slew of new gambling regulations which fully open up online gambling within the state. These provisions also updated the existing gambling deals with Connecticut’s Native American tribes, giving people in the state the ability to play at online casinos, poker room, and legally bet on sporting events. This makes Connecticut one of the most gambling friendly states in the USA.

As of May 2021 onward, casino gambling – as well as nearly all forms of online gambling – are now legal in Connecticut. This includes casino gambling, online poker, sports betting, daily fantasy sports, keno, and more.

Connecticut is an influential state in the American poker scene, with huge mega casino resorts offering poker (see description below) and even legal social games in the state.

Interestingly, Connecticut Laws provide for social poker games to be legal for gambling that is “incidental to a bona fide social relationship”. Despite the vagueness of the wording of the social gambling provision in CT State law, this interpretation that social gaming is legal is reinforced by Connecticut state officials.

‘Bona fide social relationships’ when it comes to gambling in Connecticut is generally understood to be relationships which exist apart from the actual gambling, which would generally be the case with most social ‘home poker’ games.

Poker Rooms

Connecticut’s two huge Native American Indian reservation Super Casinos offer more than 200 poker tables (rather than Poker Rooms). World Series of Poker tournament series are regularly held in the two Mega Casinos with multi-million-dollar prize pools up for grabs.

Famous faces are regularly spotted at the Poker Tables in Connecticut’s casinos and it’s interesting to note that recently retired female all-time Poker tournament money winning leader, Vanessa Selbst, amassed more than $1 million of her career earnings in the state of Connecticut.

Online Poker Laws

Online poker was made legal in 2021 and is available to anyone within the state and over the legal age of 21.

1931 – Horse Racing becomes legal in Connecticut.

1976 – Off-Track Horse Racing Betting introduced.

1983 – Connecticut State Lottery begins.

1986 – Tribal/Commercial Casinos open for the first time in Connecticut as a Bingo Room and add casino table games (1992), and slots (1993).

2012 – Connecticut Governor Dan Molloy suggests that regulation of ‘online-poker is inevitable’.

2017 – Governor Dan Molloy signed-off on the legalization of DFS in the state. The bill to be passed into law in Connecticut sometime after July 1 2019.

2021 – State bill HB6451 signed into law by Governor Ned Lemont. This opened up the state to legal online casinos, online poker, and both retail and online sports betting.

Visit our Connecticut Sports Betting page for More information on the states online sports betting and Laws