Connecticut to Hold Sports Betting Hearing Today February 26

There was lots of interest in betting sports at Connecticut's famed Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods casinos following news that a hearing on the topic took place at 10 am this coming Tuesday (February 26, 2019).

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Joe Verrengia (D-District 20), the chairman of the Public Safety and Security Committee, made it abundantly clear he is against any type of sports league “integrity fee” when it comes to legalizing the activity.

“What I’m not for is legislation that in some way, shape or form would line the pockets of MLB, NBA or any other major sports owners,” he said.

Verrengia does support legalized sports betting in Connecticut.

House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz and Senate President pro tempore Martin Looney have both gone on record as supporting sports betting.

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From Sports Handle:

Tuesday’s hearing is predicated on a handful of gaming bills, including SB 17 and SB 665, both of which are sports betting placeholder bills. In fact the entire text of SB 665 reads: “To establish competitive sports wagering on certain sporting events.”

SB 17 is a bi-partisan bill with sponsors from both the Senate and the House that would legalize mobile sports betting tied to the state’s two tribal casinos — Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun. Neither bill has any framework, regulatory detail or tax information.

“If we’re going to have sports betting, we need to be all in,” Verrengia said on the CTScoreboard Podcast in early February. “And that certainly includes mobile.”

None of this will really matter in the end as Connecticut will have to contend with the state tribes, which claim they have exclusive right to offer sports betting.  If the Tribes are not on board, Connecticut will not be in any positition to offer legalized sports wagering without a legal fight. 

- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com