Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has signed the awaited House Bill 6451, bringing it into law. This decision makes Connecticut the sixth US state legalizing online casinos and online poker.
The bill will come to an effect on July 1, 2021.
The final step was to bring the poker and online casino bill into law after it passed successfully at the Senate vote on May 26. After the law passed the Senate vote on May 26, the Governor’s signature was the final step in the process.
Following this process, the governor’s office issued a formal public statement that mentioned how the new era of gaming arrived in Connecticut.
Upon signing the bill, Governor Lamont said Connecticut is now stepping into a new era of providing a new-age gaming experience that will be competition for neighboring states and positioning CT for future success. Today people of this state are celebrating month-long hard work and dedication towards bringing this bill into law.
Regulated Online Gambling comes to Connecticut
The Connecticut state has been working on regulating online poker gaming for a long time. In 2011, Dannel P. Malloy, former state governor, expressed the opinion that CT legislators should bring online gambling to the state.
During that time, the bill received a good response in the Senate and the House, passing at a 28-6 margin. There were three Republicans and Democrats who stood against this CT casino bill. They expressed concerns over the dangers of excessive gambling people may end up facing.
However, experts believe that this bill will generate $30 million in the fiscal year. By 2026, the account is set to bring $38 million per year. This revenue is significant for the state post-legalizing online gambling and poker.
Although the bill passed through some major hurdles, some issues still need to be worked out before Connecticut residents are ready to play online games.
Presently, the bill allows Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes to enjoy online gambling.
The Connecticut Lottery Corporation (CTC) will benefit from this new iGaming bill, allowing players to select online games. However, with a population of 3.6 million, the state won’t bring in much revenue compared to other online casino legalized states.
