Sports betting and iGaming operators FanDuel, DraftKings and Rush Street Interactive will soft-launch their new online offerings in Connecticut Tuesday.

The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) authorised the soft launch Friday, allowing the Connecticut Lottery Corporation, Mohegan Tribe and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe to begin online wagering operations with their respective partners.

The Connecticut Lottery has been authorised to begin online sports wagering within the state in partnership with Rush Street Interactive, with the soft launch limited to 750 players.

The Connecticut Lottery will initially offer bets online during limited hours from Tuesday (October 12) through to Friday, followed by a 24-hour cycle through the rest of the seven-day soft launch period.

The Mohegan Tribe and online partner FanDuel, as well as the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe and partner DraftKings, will soft launch both iGaming and sports betting, with iGaming initially limited to just over 100 DCP-approved games.

The tribal operators and their online partners will also be limited to 750 players during the soft-launch period and the same time restrictions as the Connecticut Lottery, with live dealer and peer-to-peer online casino games excluded from the soft-launch.

“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,” said DCP commissioner Michelle H. Seagull.

“As long as no issues arise, we have told the licensees they may move forward with the 7-day soft launch required in the regulations. Once the soft launch is complete, online gaming will open statewide.”

The launch of online sports betting comes less than two weeks after FanDuel and DraftKings opened their respective retail sportsbooks in Connecticut at Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods, and less than six months after online sports betting and iGaming legislation was signed into law by Governor Ned Lamont.

Gaming Intelligence