The Connecticut Lottery Corporation today released a statement from its Board of Directors Chair Rob Simmelkjaer and its President and CEO Greg Smith regarding Governor Ned Lamont’s landmark agreement between the state and its two tribal nations on sports betting and online gaming.
“We offer our congratulations to Governor Lamont and our state’s two tribal nations on this momentous agreement that will bring Connecticut’s gaming landscape into the 21st century. We’re pleased that the agreement would allow the Connecticut Lottery to modernize our business through online sales of some existing lottery games, and to grow our contribution to the state by introducing both online and retail sports betting. The CLC has already contributed nearly $300 million to the General Fund through the end of last week, and we are poised to continue delivering responsibly for the state through these additional revenue streams.”
The agreement, in part, gives the Connecticut Lottery Corporation:
• The right to operate a statewide online sports betting skin with partners and vendors to be determined
• The right to operate 15 retail sports betting locations (including new venues in Hartford and Bridgeport)
• The right to sublicense some of those retail locations to the state-licensed parimutuel operator.
• The right to sell draw games and Keno products online statewide (also known as “iLottery).
NOTE: Though an agreement is in place, the CT Lottery must await legislative authorization to come from the Connecticut General Assembly, as well as regulatory authorization from the Department of Consumer Protection, before sports betting and online lottery sales can commence.