- A new Connecticut sports betting bill that will allow wagering on in-state college teams has been proposed.
- The current law permits betting on Connecticut college sports teams only when an event involves four or more teams.
- House Bill 5284 also includes new language for how gambling can be marketed in the state and rules to allow independent parties to vet lottery games.
Connecticut sports bettors may soon be able to wager on UConn Huskies basketball and football games. According to a new sports betting bill introduced in the House, betting on in-state college teams could soon be legalized.
Currently, Connecticut prohibits placing any bets on a college team located in the state, so gambling on individual UConn Huskies games is against the law.
Connecticut legalized sports betting in 2021, though there were some unpopular provisions included in the bill. Most notably, the law against betting on Connecticut collegiate sports teams was met with disappointment. After some debate in the Legislature, the sports betting bill passed without allowing residents to wager on in-state squads.
There was one exception: Connecticut sports bettors could place wagers on teams if the event included four or more teams. While it didn’t explicitly state, the small detail allowed wagering on the March Madness NCAA Tournament.
As a result, Connecticut residents were able to place money on the Huskies winning the NCAA National Championship, which they ultimately achieved. However, if House Bill 5284 doesn’t pass, wagers on the Huskies football program will be prohibited this fall.
Bill Will Not Allow Player Props
Recently, the hot-button topic regarding college sports betting has been allowing player prop bets. Due to several high-profile betting scandals, many states are reconsidering whether betting on individual players should be permitted.
For instance, former Toronto Raptors two-way player Jontay Porter was banned from the NBA for life. Porter was giving betting tips to associates and making bets on his own props to go under the total.
House Bill 5284 will only allow bettors to place wagers on the outcome of games. For instance, point spread, moneyline, and over/under wagering are expected to be part of the bill. However, betting on individual player performance will remain forbidden in Connecticut.
Sports Betting Advertisers Impacted By Bill
In Connecticut, third-party affiliates who market gambling products to the public are compensated when a user clicks on the link, deposits money, and gambles.
House Bill 5284 strives to change the law to allow operators to reward affiliates for sending traffic to their sites. The Connecticut Lottery Corp. and Fanatics oppose the proposed measure. They believe this would make it too difficult for companies to compensate advertisers effectively.
Here’s what Arthur Mongillo, the Connecticut Lottery’s public affairs manager, had to say:
If marketing affiliates were to be compensated just on click-throughs without the additional step of having the patron create an account and place a minimum deposit in that account, those marketing affiliates would logically focus their strategy on targeting the largest number of individuals including people who aren’t interested in sports betting.
Additionally, House Bill 5284 would provide more transparency and oversight on lottery games. Independent third parties will be invited to investigate, test, and vet any of the gambling games for certification.
The move is designed to provide players with assurance that the games are safe to play and not manipulated or rigged. In response to House Bill 5284, the CT Lottery claims that adding a third-party investigator is unnecessary.
The CT Lottery believes that the Department of Consumer Protection’s oversight is enough to guarantee the safety of gambling products. Moreover, the CT Lottery does its own testing before a game is launched to the public. According to the LT Lottery, the move would also cost too much to the state when there is already a system in place.
