The Connecticut Huskies celebrate winning the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament National Championship game (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
As sports gambling hits new highs in popularity across Connecticut, local legislators keep pushing for changes to the market. At the forefront is Rep. Tony Scott, who recently introduced bills that would give bettors more flexibility over their wagers.
One of these proposals includes enabling Connecticut residents to bet on in-state colleges — something that’s already allowed in 23 of the 39 legalized betting states.
“People want it,” Scott, a Republican from Monroe, told RG. “UConn, even Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart and Fairfield U, these are Division I games that people follow nationwide. Yet people [in Connecticut] can’t bet on these games. It seems a little peculiar because now we have a system in place that can protect it.”
Connecticut is home to some of the most successful collegiate programs in the country. The UConn men’s basketball program has won back-to-back NCAA championships, while the school’s women’s basketball team, coached by Naismith Hall of Famer Geno Auriemma, owns a record 11 national titles. There’s also Quinnipiac men’s hockey, which won it all in 2023.
Current laws only allow betting on these teams during tournament play, meaning residents often have to jump through hoops just to place a wager. That would ostensibly no longer be necessary under House Bill 5563, “An Act Concerning Sports Wagering on Connecticut Intercollegiate Teams.”
“People can go across the border and bet in other states, too,” Scott noted. “If you live close to a border, you can find it. There’s ways to do it, but it’s a process. You have to do an extra step."
“I don’t think the public’s going to be in outrage of this [bill]. These are teams that they follow. There are rabid fans in Connecticut.”
The same bill was proposed last year but failed to pass despite support from the likes of House Speaker Matt Ritter (D-Hartford). As with any legislation, a series of hurdles must be cleared for it to go into effect. Next on the docket is a public hearing.
Other bills proposed by Scott include proposing a maximum hold for sportsbooks, a two-way market for all wagers, and the opportunity to allow operators to correct betting errors. There’s also a proposal to allow bettors to opt out of certain sports or types of wagers (for example, parlays).
Online sports betting launched in Connecticut in 2021. The state started with three operators — BetRivers, DraftKings and FanDuel — but BetRivers’ SugarHouse has since been replaced by Fanatics. It’s also home to two retail casinos in Foxwoods Resort and Mohegan Sun.
Numbers show consumers are taking advantage of the opportunities at hand. The state’s betting handle soared to a record $2434.7 million in December (year-over-year increase of nearly 36%), and numbers should only continue to rise as the industry grows. Total revenue is now up to $581.7 million, with the state collecting $63.3 million in taxes.
Scott believes there’s now enough safeguards in place where the state can safely expand its options without having to worry about irregularities around betting.
“Is it 100% foolproof?” Scott said. “I definitely would not stake my reputation or life on that. … But I think we are in very good shape to protect against [irregularities].”
Scott said he plans to discuss the bill with the speaker of the house on Tuesday.
“I’m familiar with the gambling world. I gamble,” Scott said. “The fact that FanDuel and DraftKings, who are two of our main vendors, if there’s betting irregularities, they’ll know.”
Doug Bonjour
