Important CT Notes
- Connecticut Online Poker
- Connecticut Online Poker Law
- Online Poker In Connecticut
- Connecticut Online Poker
- Connecticut Online Poker Legislation
- Players from CT can legally play at offshore poker websites
- Need for state revenue may help push online poker
- Live poker is popular in Connecticut
- Legal gambling includes lotteries, horse racing, tribal casinos
- State compact necessary with population at 3.6 million
- Online Poker in Connecticut Online poker is subject to the same laws applying to online gambling in general. Since it is not regulated by the state, it is considered illegal. But as always, since it is also not explicitly outlawed, reality is there are plenty of people playing online poker.
- As of the time of writing, the issue of state regulated online legal Internet poker in Connecticut has not been addressed by government officials. A CT bill relating to lawful real money poker websites will likely be drafted within the coming months. Connecticut’s gaming statues are clearer than those of most other states.
- Connecticut Poker News The Official Poker Gift Guide of 2020, The Worst Year Ever. The Phil Galfond Challenge Gets Put Through The Ringer.
“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.
Future Outlook of Online Poker in Connecticut – Estimated date of legalization: 2020-2021
Best Connecticut Online Poker Sites. Online poker is not yet legal in Connecticut. However, that may not be the case forever, sign up for our email list to be the first to know when online poker becomes legal in your area. Connecticut hasn’t specifically addressed online poker but some older legislation may make online poker illegal. Section 53-278d tells us “Any person who knowingly transmits or receives gambling information by telephone, telegraph, radio, semaphore or other means.
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.
The two federally recognized tribes in Connecticut are digging their heels...
It’s easy to be confused about the state of sports betting in Connecticut. On...
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].
Current Gambling Laws in Connecticut
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.
History of Gambling in Connecticut
Land Based Poker in Connecticut
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.
Connecticut Online Poker
Gambling Laws in Connecticut
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)
(C) Copyright PokerWebsites.com, 2018
References and Citations
Wedged between New York State and Massachusetts, Connecticut is a paradise with all the spoils of nature and the big city within its reach. Although Yale University calls the state home, it doesn’t take an Ivy League education to wade through the murky legal waters of 18+ Connecticut online poker. However, there are several factors to consider, and we’ll detail them below.
When venturing online in the Land of Steady Habits to find the best and most reliable poker rooms that allow for 18-year-old players, you should be armed with the best online poker sites and know what to expect upon arrival. That's where our guide comes in. We'll also detail promotional bonuses and provide some simple strategies to keep you in the know when playing online poker in CT.
Best Online Poker Sites In Connecticut For Players 18 And Up
| Poker Site | Bonus | Rating/5 | USA | Visit Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100% Max $500 | 4.7 | ||
| 2 | 100% Max $1,000 | 4.3 | ||
| 3 | 125% up to $1,250 | 4.3 | ||
| 3 | 100% Max $1,000 | 4.2 |
Is Poker Legal In Connecticut For 18+ Players?
Yes, poker games are legal and are available to play at the state’s two poker rooms located on Native American lands, and are open to players that are 21 years old and over. These facilities do not offer online poker or any other gambling services over the Internet, however. While it is possible for 18 and over players to visit an offshore gambling site for the best online poker Connecticut has to offer, the state has outlawed all online gaming (see below).
Is Online Poker Legal In CT?
Connecticut is one of two US states that has passed legislation completely forbidding all forms of online gambling inside their borders. The top-rated poker rooms recommended on this page accept 18+ members and allow them to gamble. We have never seen any record of an arrest being made for the crime of online gambling in CT, but ultimately, we advise that you follow all gambling laws to stay out of trouble.
If you absolutely must play poker online, then consider traveling to a nearby state that offers it in-state. Otherwise, if you wish to sign up and play poker online with an offshore operator from within CT, you must do so only at your own risk.
Connecticut Minimum Poker Age
The poker rooms in Connecticut casinos require that players be at least 21 years of age to participate in real money games. CT is one of the few states where the minimum age is a hard 21 years old. The 18+ poker sites recommended on this page exclude some states in the US, but for some odd reason, CT is not one of them. Players are able to join, log in, make a deposit, and play CT online poker at these sites, and we’ve yet to hear of any prosecutions for it.
That said, we recommend obeying all state and federal gambling laws and either waiting until you are 21 to play poker in CT, or traveling to a region where 18+ play is legal.
Retail Poker Rooms In Connecticut
Connecticut Online Poker Law
The Nutmeg State features two large casinos located on Native American land, with a proposed third hotel and resort in the planning stages. These two Class III facilities offer full-service casino floors with slots, table games, racebooks, and poker rooms. Both casinos are within a one-hour drive from Hartford, CT. A minimum age of 21 is required to play at either of these Connecticut poker rooms.
- Foxwoods Resort Casino
- Mohegan Sun Casino
Connecticut Mobile Poker Apps
Online Poker In Connecticut
State laws do not allow for CT poker rooms to offer their services online, regardless of age. 18 and over bettors looking for the best mobile poker app need look no further than our recommended list of online poker rooms. These poker sites offer web apps that are playable through the most popular mobile web browsers such as Safari, Google Chrome, Opera, and Firefox, and they don't require a visit to the App Store or the Google Play Store.
Simply enter the address of your preferred online poker room into your browser, and the site’s responsive design technology will take care of the rest. Soon, you'll be playing virtual real money poker that reacts just like a downloadable app, but with the heightened cybersecurity that only a web app can provide.
Connecticut Poker Tournaments Near Me
If you are looking for poker tournaments in CT, both the Foxwoods and the Mohegan Sun Casinos feature routine competitions with cash prizes going to the eventual winners. If you are looking for the top poker tournaments Connecticut has available online, that can be a little tricky. State law prohibits all forms of online gaming, but the top-rated online poker rooms listed on this page allow for players located in CT.
Proceed with caution, because although we have never heard of any arrests being made for playing in online poker tournaments, CT has the law in place for a reason. Poker tournament details vary from site to site, with grand prizes reaching as high as $250,000.
Connecticut Online Bonus Poker Options
Connecticut Online Poker
The most trusted poker sites that allow for CT players feature welcome bonuses that are based on your initial deposits, and some sites also offer account reload bonuses. Poker bonuses work like this: Let’s say you get a 100% boost to your first deposit with a limit of $500. The bonus is unlocked in increments of $5-10 each time a certain number of rewards points are earned. These points are accumulated through the completion of poker hands and the expenditures of your bankroll on poker games. There are no rollover requirements for extended play, so this bonus cash offer represents free cash without any strings attached.
Absolutely. The Constitution State contains two massive, Vegas-style resort casinos within its borders, and they both offer poker rooms and frequent tournament action. The minimum age to play poker at these Tribal casinos is 21 years old. There's not much in the form of 18+ online poker Connecticut can offer, since they have passed a law that forbids all gambling over the net.
While in-state poker rooms are not allowed to provide online services and offer mobile poker to CT residents, offshore poker sites are open for business and can accept players as young as 18 years old. Connecticut has enacted laws that prevent everyone inside of state lines from participating in any form of online gambling.
However, there have been no recorded incidents of anyone being arrested for the crime of playing poker for real money online, but it is best to be aware of all gambling laws and to know the penalties for violating them.
The structure of US gambling laws is designed to focus on the entities that are offering the services, and not the individual players. Social poker games do not violate any laws as long as the participants are friends and associates and the game takes place in a setting that is not public. It must be a winner-take-all style of game with no rake going to the “house” for a hosting fee. Abide by these rules, and no law violations will occur.
While there are countless outlets for free poker games on the internet, we recommend visiting one of our top-rated offshore poker rooms to play their real money games for free. These free play poker games operate identically to when real money is on the line, so the experience is invaluable and will aid to maintain players’ bankrolls. These free poker games will also aid in the development of a sound poker strategy and keep you raking in the chips.
We do not recommend playing in underground poker tournaments or participating in illegal gambling activities of any kind. These competitions are not regulated by any gaming entity and have the potential for slanted gameplay that gives the house an unfair advantage. These games are often tied to organized crime and can lead to the loss of your entire bankroll, or worse, jail time.
Connecticut Online Poker Legislation
We've provided many trustworthy options on this page for safe online poker in CT, and we advise opting for one of these outlets rather than taking part in underground poker.