Time-out? Connecticut considers new sports betting rules as March Madness begins
Connecticut sports books took more than $180 million in wagers last month. But wide-ranging legislation would limit where they can advertise and what users could bet on.
Got your brackets ready? March Madness is officially here. That means millions of dollars in wagers on the NCAA basketball tournament.
But some Connecticut lawmakers think sports gaming has gone too far – and are calling for a time-out.
BIG BUSINESS
Bars like the Blind Rhino in South Norwalk were already packed by lunchtime on Thursday.
“We are here for the best time of the year, March Madness,” said basketball fan Erin Deegan. “I’m in a couple of pools. Different teams, but UConn is my number one.”
Plenty of other fans were busy placing bets on their phones.
Last month alone, Fanatics Sportsbook (operated by the Connecticut Lottery) took in $42.2 million dollars in wagers, according to the Department of Consumer Protection. For FanDuel (operated by the Mohegan Sun), it was $65.1 million. DraftKings (operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation) topped out at $73.8 million.
NEW RULES?
Critics think sports gambling needs more oversight. Legislation this year would ban advertising at college campuses. Apps would also be prohibited from using artificial intelligence to target vulnerable users – like a 21-year-old college student who called the state’s gambling help line.
“She lost everything in the span of three months – her book money, tuition money, food money – so she gave herself a time-out through the app,” said Diana Goode with the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling. “But the day after she came off that time-out, they sent her an email saying, ‘Welcome back. Here’s a free $75 to get you going again.’”
Under the bill, when users withdraw their money from a sports betting app, the decision would be final – so they can’t change their mind and place more wagers.
“The design of the platform allowed the decision to be reversed almost instantly, while the transaction was still pending,” said Chris Grant, director of the Lavender Policy Center, a health advocacy group based in New Britain.
Bets on dog racing would also be prohibited. Connecticut banned live greyhound races in 2024, but it’s still legal to bet on races held elsewhere.
“This is a loophole and this loophole keeps the dog racing industry alive,” said Christine Dorchak, president of the advocacy group Grey2K USA. “Every bet on a greyhound race helps sustain an industry where animals are confined, overworked and in many cases drugged to perform.”
On the federal level, Sen. Richard Blumenthal is pushing the SAFE Bet Act. It stops all wagers once a game starts and bans prop bets on college matches.
“Gambling addiction is enhanced and increased by these sports-betting companies that target their promotions and pitches through algorithms,” Blumenthal said.
“I DON’T THINK THAT’S A HUGE ISSUE”
But some fans don’t see a problem.
“I don’t think that’s a huge issue right now,” said Anthony Kazmierczak. “It may become an issue in the future, but for now, I think it’s pretty regulated.”
Connecticut’s sports books agree. In fact, they think new rules could make it harder to identify problem gamblers.
“Modern gaming operations rely on AI-driven tools to track and identify indicators of problematic gaming behavior, detect fraud and money laundering activity, strengthen cybersecurity and data protection and support responsible gaming interventions,” Mohegan Tribe chief of staff Chuck Bunnell told state lawmakers. “Restricting these technologies would undermine responsible gaming and anti-money laundering objectives, not advance them.”
Mashantucket Pequot leaders said the proposed withdrawal regulations would be a logistical nightmare.
“Because players may withdraw funds at any time, and because most withdrawals process quickly, the list of players with pending withdrawals is in constant flux,” wrote Jody Cummings, the tribe’s legal counsel. “Second, the payment processing system contains sensitive information, and in keeping with our commitment to the privacy of patron data, that system is not directly linked to customer marketing. Accordingly, implementing this restriction will be difficult in practice.”
Last year, state lawmakers tried to limit the dollar value of online bets. The bill passed the Connecticut House but never got a vote in the state Senate.
NEED HELP?
If you have a gambling addiction, click HERE for resources and help.
You can also call the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling help line at 888-789-7777.
