As you’ve probably already guessed, it’s impossible for a Connecticut resident to play at a regulated, US-based online casino similar to the ones that are available in Nevada and New Jersey. However, many offshore casinos like Bovada accept Connecticut players despite the status of online gambling in the Constitution State.
USA online casinos have been functioning within domestic markets for a long time, but many players are just getting to know the industry. In states like Connecticut where there are only a few casinos and despite one of them being almost the largest casino in the world, legal online casino games are highly sought after. It is not common knowledge throughout the state that there are in fact legally sanctioned online casinos that welcome Connecticut residents. The industry comes from a background of shady practices and organized crime so it’s no surprise that more people don’t know the specifics of the industry and therefore don’t partake in it. United States gambling online has evolved into a legally sanctioned, legitimate and secure form of gambling entertainment, if you know how to navigate the field.
This is a guide for those people who don’t understand the legality and various options that they have available to them in the form of legal online casinos that accept players from CT. Keep reading below and you will begin to understand the legal climate that surrounds international online gambling websites and how they interact with the US federal gambling laws. You will also be informed on the game selection that will be available to you and the bonuses and promotions that you will be able to take advantage of as a customer. Everything you will need to know to start your search for the best legal online casino site in Connecticut.
Connecticut online gambling laws does not allow placing bets online but there are various legal online casinos that will accept CT residents. To date, there are only two states that have been able to legalize online casino gambling, New Jersey and Delaware, who only allow customers that are physically located within the borders of either of those two states to play. For residents of Connecticut, as for residents of most other states, if they so choose, there is a multitude of legally regulated offshore online casino websites that can be accessed within your respective state.
In addition, gambling online has not been prohibited by any of the USA gambling laws that regulate gambling across the nation. The Federal Wire Act does prohibit US based online sportsbooks, but has no bearing on casino or poker gambling, and actually doesn’t prevent residents from legally betting on sports at Connecticut online sportsbooks that are located offshore. The UIGEA does not prohibit Americans from engaging in licensed and regulated offshore casino gambling but rather places regulatory oversight for how banks and credit card companies can process gambling related transactions.
Below is a table of all our recommended online casinos. Connecticut online gambling options provide access to legitimate, high-quality gambling entertainment, and here we’ve included those destinations that specifically cater to individuals seeking real money casino games. These links come to you from the review of a team of specialists that have been fervently apart of the online gambling community for over 18 years. Each of these websites has been vetted for legality and physical location as to pertain to the US federal laws and international banking regulations. These are the websites that we regularly recommend because of their records of stellar customer service and financial security. We offer similar guides for accessing legally approved Connecticut online poker sites, sportsbooks and bingo halls.
Site Name | Bonus | Rating | Type | USA | Visit Site |
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$3000 | Casino | Visit Site Full Review | |||
$1500 | Casino | Visit Site Full Review | |||
$1000 | Casino | Visit Site | |||
$5000 | Casino | Visit Site | |||
$3000 | Casino | Visit Site | |||
$9000 | Casino | Visit Site | |||
$10000 | Casino | Visit Site | |||
$8000 | Casino | Visit Site |
Other Connecticut Gambling Pages
What Games Can I Play At Connecticut Online Casinos?
Online gambling destinations that are available to residents of Connecticut typically section their games according to the type of game they are. For slots, you can find 3, 5 and even 6 reel slots coupled with Mega Spins and Progressives.
Then you will find the table games that include European and American versions of Roulette, several forms of Baccarat and Blackjack, video poker and an unlimited number of themes and graphics to differentiate the games.
Live dealer games provide a unique combination of real dealer interaction and online access. If you’re into keno and Scratch cards that can found in what is normally called “Specialty Games” which is also where you would find Bingo. However, to really enjoy bingo to its full extent, we recommend visiting a Connecticut online bingo site for a richer experience.
What Type Of Software Solutions Are Used By Online Casinos?
The online casinos featured in this guide all utilize industry leading software solutions to power their casino games. Some of the more popular platforms include RTG (RealTime Gaming), Rival Powered and BetSoft. This software offers an innovative, user-friendly interface, a fast, reliable performance, customizable settings, dynamic 3D graphics, state of the art sound, and more. Each of these reputable software brands includes internal security protocols to keep player data secure and to eliminate vulnerabilities to hacking, fraud, and cheating.
Can I Play For Free At Online Casinos?
Yes, the free play option is a crucial function that has been created out of the digitalization of these casino games. You won’t have to assume any financial risk while learning the interface and the system of patterns by which the games operate in. Despite knowing how to place the bets in real life, you’ve got to learn where to click on the internet. Players that already understand the new modality of online gambling can still use this feature to test new ideas and gaming strategies without any risk as well.
Are There Casino Bonuses For Connecticut Players?
There will be bonuses and promotions at every website you go to that is linked to this guide. Each of the websites that we endorse offers what’s called in the industry a “Welcome Match Bonus” where the website will reward you just for signing up to their website and making your first deposit. They will normally delineate a certain percentage of your first deposit and match it and add the extra to your account. You will likely see match bonuses that range from 50% to 400% and even beyond in some cases. Aside from verifying the legal status of the casino destination, looking at the bonuses should be a high priority in your search for the right online casino website.
What Are The Banking Options?
Once you have registered and you are now ready to claim your welcome bonus you will often be redirected to the digital cashier where you can choose options of deposit. The first and most common will usually be Bitcoin or Litecoin. Bitcoin and Litecoin’s origins in the online gambling industry have made them the easiest form of currency to use when sending funds in and out of websites like these. Most sites even have incentives like extra bonuses for using the decentralized digital currency. There will also be other options at most places like the major credit cards, Visa, and MasterCard. Bank-to-bank and person-to-person wire transfers are another popular option and a lot of providers will also allow you to mail them a check.
Will Connecticut Move To Legalize Online Casinos Anytime Soon?
Since 2013, there has been a serious roadblock in the way of legalizing online casino gambling. To date, there are three states that have legalized online gambling and there have a been few more that have flirted with the idea but have remained without action. Connecticut gambling operations are unofficially characterized by the native American tribes that run the casinos there. Although politically Connecticut seems like an ideal candidate to be another one of this country’s early adopters, without the gaming tribes of Connecticut pushing for it, it doesn’t seem likely to happen.
Can I Play Real Money Casino Games From My Mobile Phone?
The casino games that are mobile friendly seem to be endless. With the vast majority of the games that are offered through the full websites also offered on their mobile-optimized version, you can play any of these games from anywhere in the world. If you find yourself with the signal required you will be able to not only play the games but also access all of your account information and request payouts and make deposits all right from your mobile device.
Connecticut ‘s Views on Casino Gambling From The Beginning
In the early 90’s tribal casino gambling was one of the fastest growing industries in the country. Governor Lowell P. Weicker Jr. of Connecticut opened the door wide for the industry to start to acquire a home base in CT. Connecticut would later rival Atlantic City in terms of the Northeastern US casinos. The Governor created an infrastructure that allowed to two gaming tribes in the state to thrive. The largest casino in the United States and one of the largest casinos in the world opened up in Connecticut. With the opening of Foxwoods came the federal recognition of the Native American Tribe, The Pequots. It later helped in pushing forward The Federal Indian Gambling Regulatory Act and paved the way for legal charitable gambling in other states. Today there are only three casinos in the state which makes most residents of Connecticut have to take a road trip in order to enjoy them, but its close enough to have one of the largest tax revenues from gambling in the country.
“Reviewed by Chuck Humphrey – 50 year Gaming Law Practitioner”
The Department of Consumer Protection[A] of Connecticut clarifies that the state does not authorize, license, permit or regulate in any manner any online gambling in any form, including online poker. Playing poker from within Connecticut at a website regulated outside of the United States is legal. Online gambling has not been legalized by the state to operate such business as of now.
The following graph tracks our expected legislation of online poker in Connecticut on a state law level. It is currently already legal on a Federal level. This graph monitors the current rise or fall of expected legalization.
Recent Activity
There are no bills pending in the Connecticut legislature that seek to legalize and regulate online gambling in any form. However, a November 2012 report in The Hartford Courant[B] indicated that some legislators should re-examine the matter. State Representative Stephen Dargan, co-chairman of the legislative public safety committee that oversees legalized gambling, pointed out that revenue from licensed casinos had been dwindling since 2007 and Connecticut needs to look at online gambling but no action materialized. It seems likely that legal online poker will come to Connecticut through a federal law or compact with other states. Any online gambling within the state would have to address the concerns of the Indian tribes that are already operating land casinos.
Illegal and unregulated online gambling is available in Connecticut as it is in other states of America. This was pointed out by Charles Bunnell, the Mohegans chief of staff for external and governmental affairs, to the General Assembly’s Public Safety and Security Committee according to a report in CBS New York[C].
Gambling is covered in the Connecticut General Statutes in Title 53 (Crimes) Chapter 946 Offenses Against Public Policy[D]. Section 53-278a[E] contains the definitions. Clause (2) of this section states:
“Gambling means risking any money, credit, deposit or other thing of value for gain contingent in whole or in part upon lot, chance or the operation of a gambling device, including the playing of a casino gambling game such as blackjack, poker, craps, roulette or a slot machine, but does not include: Legal contests of skill, speed, strength or endurance in which awards are made only to entrants or the owners of entries; legal business transactions which are valid under the law of contracts; activity legal under the provisions of sections 7-169 to 7-186, inclusive; any lottery or contest conducted by or under the authority of any state of the United States, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or any possession or territory of the United States; and other acts or transactions expressly authorized by law on or after October 1, 1973.” Clause (3) defines “professional gambling” as accepting or offering to accept gambling wagers.
Section 53-278b defines the criminality of gambling offenses. Clause (a) states that any person who engages in gambling, or solicits or induces another to engage in gambling, or is present when another person or persons are engaged in gambling, shall be guilty of a class B misdemeanor. Clause (b) states that any person who engages in professional gambling shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor. The punishments are specified elsewhere in the statutes.
Other sections of the Connecticut General Statutes deal with other specific forms of gambling.
Connecticut General Statutes allow home poker as social gambling by providing an exclusion in Section 53-278b that states “… provided natural persons shall be exempt from prosecution and punishment under this subsection for any game, wager or transaction which is incidental to a bona fide social relationship, is participated in by natural persons only and in which no person is participating, directly or indirectly, in professional gambling.” Two issues are important here. No player or organizer of such poker games must profit in any way for hosting the game. The players must have something in common outside of the home poker game. However, “a bona fide social relationship” has not been defined in the statutes, not been clarified by any enforcement agency and not been tested in Connecticut courts.
Connecticut General Statutes permit limited forms of gambling for charity, but those do not include poker tournaments.
Live poker is allowed only at the two Indian casinos, apart from home games defined above. The Division of Special Revenue has expressly clarified through a press release[F] in 2004 that it is illegal for private clubs, bars and such organizations to host poker games under Connecticut laws, especially because poker playing under these circumstances violates state-tribal agreements that give the Mashantucket Pequots and Mohegans exclusive rights to conduct casino gambling, including poker, in return for a percentage of their slot revenue.
No forms of online gambling are presently allowed in Connecticut. Traditional forms of gambling such as off track betting, reservation casinos, state lottery and charity bingo are permitted. Presently the regulation of gambling in Connecticut has been consolidated under the Department of Consumer Protection, Gaming Division.
Connecticut allows casino style gambling only on Indian reservations. The two reservation casinos in Connecticut, Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, are among the largest casinos in the world. Foxwoods, located in Mashantucket, opened in 1986 as a bingo hall, which is now the world’s largest. In 1992, table games were added. In 1993, slots and video poker were added. Foxwoods offers a 100 table poker room, thousands of slots, as well as 350 tables for casino games like Baccarat, Blackjack, Caribbean Stud, Craps, Paigow Poker, Roulette, Sic Bo and others.
There is also a large race book offered. Mohegan Sun is located in Uncasville. It is not as large as Foxwoods and offers only 40 poker tables. The table games have the same range as Foxwoods. Both casinos pay the State of Connecticut 25% of the casino’s slot win. The detailed terms and conditions of the tribal compacts with the state are available on the Department of Consumer Protection Gaming Division website.
Pari-mutuel wagering is permitted in the state by the Connecticut General Statutes in Title 12 (Taxation) Chapter 226 Gaming Policy, Regulation and Revenue. The detailed regulations formulated by the Division of Special Revenue are available here[G].
Though wagering is allowed on horse and greyhound racing and jai alai games, these activities are not conducted within Connecticut. Horse racing was never started and greyhound racing and jai alai have been discontinued. However, Connecticut residents can wager through the more than a dozen off track betting parlors within the state. Some of these parlors are dedicated solely to betting, while others offer to their patrons services like sports bars and restaurants. Wagering on telephone is also accepted at these off track betting centers.
Lottery is covered by the Connecticut General Statutes in Title 12 (Taxation) Chapter 229a Connecticut Lottery Corporation. From 1996 the state lottery is operated by the Connecticut Lottery Corporation[H] under the oversight of the Division of Special Revenue. The lottery offers lotto drawings and scratch off tickets. It also participates in multi-state lotto drawings including Powerball and Mega Millions.
Charitable gambling is covered by the Connecticut General Statutes in Title 7 (Municipalities) Chapter 98 Municipal Powers. The forms of charitable gambling allowed are bingo, sealed tickets, bazaars and raffles. Commercial bingo is only allowed on the Indian reservations. Section 7-170 defines bazaar as disposal of merchandise awards by means of chance. Bingo is the dominant form of charitable gambling in Connecticut.
The detailed regulations for operation of bingo charities have been formulated by the Division of Special Revenue. Similar regulations have been prescribed for other charitable gambling products. The Charitable Games unit of the Department of Consumer Protection regulates and monitors this activity. The Commissioner of Consumer Protection is the permit issuing authority for the bingo and sealed ticket activities, and the chiefs of police and first selectmen of small towns are the permit issuing authorities for bazaar and raffle activities.
Author:Joseph Falchetti (twitter)
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