Is sports betting legal in Connecticut?

What the law allows

Connecticut legalized sports betting, online casino games and fantasy sports in one law. The Department of Consumer Protection says Governor Lamont signed it in May 2021. The Department's 2023 ruling on college bets names it as Public Act 21-23, now Chapter 229b of the General Statutes, and under it sports wagering may only be offered online and at licensed retail locations, by a master wagering licensee or its online operator.

Betting started that October. The Governor's office reported that online sports wagering began with a soft launch on 12 October 2021, and that retail betting through the Connecticut Lottery began on 25 October.

The Department of Consumer Protection's Gaming Division is the regulator. The age is 21 for sports wagering and casino games, online or in person.

Who you can bet with

This is a short list, so here it is. The Department names three licensed sports betting platforms: DraftKings through Foxwoods, FanDuel through Mohegan Sun, and Fanatics through the Connecticut Lottery. In its January 2025 notice it adds that Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods take bets at the casino, along with eleven retail locations licensed through the Lottery. Three books is a thin market, and I'd expect the prices to show it, so shop what you can.

The same notice says it is illegal to offer sports wagers without a license in Connecticut, Super Bowl squares included.

The rule on Connecticut college teams

This is the rule I'd read twice. In that May 2023 declaratory ruling, the Department explained that you can't bet on a single game involving a Connecticut college team. You can bet on a Connecticut team only in a permitted tournament, only on the outcome of the whole tournament, and only before it starts. A bet on a Connecticut team placed during the Sweet Sixteen is not allowed. Games in the same tournament that don't involve a Connecticut team are fine.

I think the rule makes sense from the book's side too. A home-state college game is where a book is most likely to get bets from people who know something it doesn't.

Winnings are fully taxable on your federal return.

Where the offshore books fit

Offshore books take players from Connecticut, but none of them holds a Connecticut license, so the Department can't make them pay or settle a dispute. A licensed book is one the state can hold to account. Our offshore sportsbooks section explains how those books work, and the VPN question covers why hiding your location goes wrong at payout time.

The Connecticut Council on Problem Gaming runs a 24/7 confidential helpline at 1-888-789-7777, and our responsible gambling page has more.

*Checked against the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection on 28 October 2026. Laws change; this page is re-checked every quarter. This is not legal advice.*