NEW YORK (WCBS 880) – Connecticut's Senate has passed the largest expansion of gambling in the state since the casinos opened in the 1990s.
State lawmakers on Tuesday night passed a bill legalizing sports betting and online gambling. Gov. Ned Lamont said he plans to sign the legislation.
Sen. Cathy Osten said people who like to bet “will be able to participate as early as this fall.”
The legislation includes an agreement that Lamont reached in March with the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes, owners and operators of Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan, that was approved last week by the House of Representatives.
It essentially allows Lamont to amend the state's compacts with the tribes and allows both to offer sports betting and online gambling. Those amendments will need approval from the U.S. Department of Interior.
Tribal casinos would get the chance to expand and attract customers who have been heading out of state, while the Connecticut Lottery Corporation would also license 15 sports betting locations, including in Hartford and Bridgeport.
The state stands to cash in on tens of millions of dollars annually.
Critics fear there will be a rise in gambling addiction. Among them is Sen. Tony Hwang, who in voting “no” on the legislation said, “we need to be proactive and protect those who are vulnerable.”
“We as legislators have an important responsibility to not chase after the mighty tax revenue, but to be conscious of the societal costs that we have,” he said.
Funds will be set aside for counseling services.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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