The Nutmeg State dealt its legislature a brand-new set of cards. On Thursday, Mar. 6, the Connecticut House General Law Committee introduced a new bill - SB01464 - that would bring clarity, focus and initiative to expand the state's online poker options by joining the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA), but also could limit wager amounts for online sports betting.
Poker angling
The bill, referred to the Senate’s Joint Committee on General Law Thursday, brings the state into the fold via MSIGA and allows online poker companies to join an interstate player pool alongside six other states: Delaware, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, expanding opportunities for players and places where tournaments are king.
The amendment defines a “peer-to-peer casino game” as a game where players compete against each other rather than the house, with operators earning revenue through associated fees.
Sports wager limits
Now within the above bill, it states:
“The maximum sports wagers established for online sports wagering in regulations adopted pursuant to section 12-865, as amended by this act.”
However, the legislation detailed no specific maximum dollar amount. So, whatever number supporters would like to max out at is unknown. Limiting sports bettors has always been a contentious issue among customers and the online sportsbooks they sign up for.
Currently, Connecticut has three online books - FanDuel, DraftKings, and Fanatics Sportsbook. FanDuel (Mohegan Sun) and DraftKings (Foxwoods) partner with two tribal gaming operators, while Fanatics Sportsbook operates under the Connecticut Lottery.
In addition, the bill introduces additional consumer protections, mandating a toll-free helpline for bettors experiencing any kind of account issues and requires operators to halt betting on events if they discover odds errors, issuing full refunds to affected players on those wagers.
