CT Moves to Ban Greyhound Racing
Legislation seeking to prohibit greyhound racing in Connecticut has passed its first reading in the state’s House of Representatives. House Bill 5174 was first introduced on February 17th, 2022 before being referred to the state’s Joint Committee on Public Safety and Security. It was due for a public committee hearing on February 22nd.
House Bill 5174, which seeks to prohibit greyhound racing in the state of Connecticut has passed its first reading in the state’s House of Representatives. ©12019/Pixabay
Bill Would Remove All Allowances for Dog Racing
A piece of legislation in Connecticut which aims to prohibit greyhound racing in the state has recently passed its first reading in the state’s House of Representatives.
Titled House Bill 5174, the legislation was first introduced on February 17th, 2022. Its next steps saw it referred to the state’s Joint Committee on Public Safety and Security. And now as of writing, it was due for a public committee hearing on February 22nd, 2022 – the results of which are still not yet known.
In terms of legislative support, House Bill 5174 is being sponsored by Representative Nicole Klarides-Ditria of the Republican Party. A similar bill aiming to ban greyhound racing in the state of Connecticut went as far as reaching the state Senate in 2017, before being rejected at the House level.
House Bill 5174 seeks to amend a number of aspects of the state’s general statutes, removing in the process all allowances for dog racing.
State Will Not Issue Licenses Allowing Dog Racing in Connecticut
The details of House Bill 5174 stipulate that the Department of Consumer Protection will not issue licenses allowing any person, corporation or association to conduct dog racing in the state of Connecticut.
However, interestingly enough, the bill clarifies that operators of off-track betting facilities will still be allowed to conduct wagering on dog racing that occurs out of state.
If House Bill 5174 passes its public committee hearing, which was scheduled for February 22nd, 2022, and is subsequently passed into law, the bill’s provisions will go into effect on October 1st, 2022. It is worth noting that greyhound racing is currently illegal in 41 states across the United States.
Connecticut Soft Launched Online Gambling in October 2021
Back in October 2021, after much trial and tribulation, the state of Connecticut celebrated the soft launch of legalized online gaming, after the state’s Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) approved the soft launch starting from October 12th, 2021.
The Connecticut Lottery Corporation, the Mohegan Tribe and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, along with their partners, all led the launch – with all three being permitted to start a seven-day launch period which started from 3:00pm local time on October 12th. However, only two — the Mohegan Tribe and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe — were allowed to offer online gaming options.
The soft launch of iGaming in the state of Connecticut was subject to a decent amount of restrictions, including the likes of online sports wagering only being allowed to take place in specific time windows during the week-long soft launch period. Furthermore, only 750 consumers were able to bet directly through each operator’s online platform.
The commissioner of Connecticut’s Department of Consumer Protection (DCP), Michelle Seagull, took the opportunity to assure observers that online gaming would open up statewide once the soft launch period was over:
“We appreciate the hard work of our licensees and their teams, as well as the team at DCP, for their diligence in ensuring these platforms are compliant with the regulations approved by the legislature. As long as no issues arise, we have told the licensees they may move forward with the seven-day soft launch required in the regulations. Once the soft launch is complete, online gaming will open state-wide.”– Michelle Seagull, Commissioner, Department of Consumer Protection (DCP)
Mohegan and FanDuel Partnered Together in CT in July 2021
In further Connecticut-related gaming news, Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment, the gaming branch of the Mohegan Tribe, partnered with online sports betting giant FanDuel in a market access deal for the state back in July 2021.
As part of the deal, FanDuel can now provide both retail and online sports betting, along with online casino gaming, through two of the state’s tribal operators – the Mohegan Tribe and Foxwoods operator the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe.
Prior to this, the Mohegan Tribe held an exclusive market access deal with sports betting operator Kambi, with FanDuel now taking its place in the market. This means that FanDuel will also offer sports betting opportunities for Connecticut gamers.
Ray Pineault, the President & Chief Executive of Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment, greatly welcomed the casino operator’s partnership with FanDuel, seeing as Mohegan has plans to significantly enhance its presence in the Constitution State:
“We’re excited to work with FanDuel, one of the leading sports-tech entertainment companies in the U.S. to bring the brand’s innovative sports betting and iGaming solutions to Mohegan Sun Connecticut. Our partnership is a priority for Mohegan Digital, as we look to grow and enhance our casino, sportsbook and online operations in Connecticut – and beyond. We’re confident that FanDuel will deliver a best-in-class digital and in-person experience for our loyal guests.”– Ray Pineault, President & Chief Executive, Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment
President of FanDuel Amy Howe, meanwhile, said its partnership with Mohegan will allow Connecticut to become a “key state” for the operator:
“Mohegan Sun is an iconic casino and entertainment destination in the Northeast, and we are excited to announce our first tribal gaming partnership with one of the leading tribal operators in the United States. We have some incredible plans for the retail space at Mohegan Sun, with the potential to be the largest FanDuel sportsbook in the United States. When we combine the retail sports betting experience with the opportunity for online sports betting and iGaming, Connecticut is going to be a key state for us as we look towards the start of football season.”
