Connecticut (USA): gambling regulation and licensing
State of Connecticut
Part of United States
- Online casinoRegulated
- Online sports bettingRegulated
- Online pokerNot yet verified
- Headline tax
- 18% GGR
- Licence required
- Yes
- Last verified
- 30 Aug 2026
Summary
Connecticut runs one of the most deliberately narrow online markets in the United States, and the narrowness is the whole design. Online casino and sports betting opened in 2021 under revised tribal-state agreements, regulated by the Gaming Division of the Department of Consumer Protection. Online casino is offered by only two tribal operators, the Mohegan Tribe with FanDuel and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation with DraftKings, alongside the Connecticut Lottery. Players must be 21. That structure exists because Connecticut could not have opened a competitive market without renegotiating exclusivity it had already sold. The tribes held compact rights over casino gaming, and the route to online was to amend those agreements rather than to license a field of operators over the top. The result is three brands rather than thirty, and a market where the incumbent position is contractual rather than commercial. Online casino revenue is taxed at 18%, rising to 20%. Connecticut also illustrates why prediction markets have become a live issue for states with narrow licensed markets: a venue offering sports event contracts nationally under a federal registration reaches Connecticut consumers without any of the exclusivity the tribes negotiated, which is why the state has litigated the point harder than its size would suggest.
Key facts
- Regulator
- Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Gaming Division (DCP)
- Regulator type
- Sub-national body
- Headline tax
- 18% GGR
- Licence required
- Yes
- Minimum age
- 21+
- Tax base
- Online casino gross gaming revenue is taxed at 18% in the opening years of the agreements, scheduled to rise to 20%. Online sports betting is taxed separately. Confirm current rates with the Department of Consumer Protection.
- Capital
- Hartford
- Currency
- USD
- Official languages
- English
Legal framework
Primary statutes
Public Act 21-23 (2021 online gaming authorisation)
- Year
- 2021
- In force
- Yes
- Summary
- Connecticut authorised online casino and online sports wagering in 2021 through updated tribal-state agreements and implementing legislation. Online casino is limited to the two federally recognised tribes and the Connecticut Lottery, regulated by the Department of Consumer Protection.
Licensing
- Licence required
- Yes
- Application window
- Not yet verified
- Local establishment required
- Not yet verified
- Local server required
- Not yet verified
- Licence cap
- 3
- Barriers to entry
- Online casino is restricted to the Mohegan Tribe, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Connecticut Lottery, so the market is a closed field of authorised operators rather than open licensing.
Taxation
- Headline GGR tax
- 18% GGR
- Effective date
- Not yet verified
- Tax base
- Online casino gross gaming revenue is taxed at 18% in the opening years of the agreements, scheduled to rise to 20%. Online sports betting is taxed separately. Confirm current rates with the Department of Consumer Protection.
Compliance
- Minimum age
- 21+
- National self-exclusion
- Not yet verified
- KYC requirements
- Not yet verified
- Stake limits
- Not yet verified
Advertising
- Advertising permitted
- Yes
- Affiliate rules
- Affiliates are not separately licensed. The operator remains accountable for advertising published on its behalf, and only state-licensed operators may be promoted.
- Celebrity and influencer rules
- Advertising must not be directed at people below the legal minimum gambling age, which constrains the use of personalities and channels with an under-age following.
- Penalties for breach
- T supervises advertising as part of its licensing function and can take disciplinary action against the licence.he Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection
Restrictions
- Advertising is regulated by the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection as a condition of licensure rather than under a separate advertising statute.
- Only operators licensed in the state may lawfully be promoted to its residents.
- Advertising must not be directed at people below the legal minimum gambling age.
- Operators must not direct marketing at self-excluded persons.
- Both online sports betting and online casino are authorised, which places this state in the small group of US iGaming markets.
Outlook
Connecticut is a small, closed market defined by the tribal duopoly plus the lottery. The questions to watch are the scheduled move to a 20% tax rate and whether the state ever widens beyond the current operators.
Frequently asked questions
- Who can offer online casino in Connecticut?
- Only the Mohegan Tribe (FanDuel), the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation (DraftKings) and the Connecticut Lottery, under Department of Consumer Protection oversight.
Sources
- Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection - Gaming
State of Connecticut
Tier 1Accessed 4 Aug 2026 - US Online Casino Data - iGaming tax rates by state
Casino Reports
Tier 3Accessed 4 Aug 2026