Editor’s note: The original version of this article stated that the approved version of this bill also included a ban on lottery couriers. That provision was removed via an amendment before the Senate vote.
The Connecticut Senate unanimously approved a bill that aims to ban sweepstakes casinos.
Senators passed Senate Bill 1235, a brainchild of the state’s General Law Committee, by a 36-0 vote on May 22. It has been sent over to the House for further discussion. Connecticut’s legislative session is due to end on June 4.
SB 1235 prohibits anyone from conducting or promoting “a sweepstakes or a promotional drawing…that uses a simulated gambling device or allows or facilitates participation in any real or simulated online casino gaming or sports wagering.
The bill’s language clarifies that the bill does not prevent a retailer from conducting or promoting its own sweepstakes game, as long as the game is related to the sale of groceries and does not offer a prize that is redeemable for cash.
Last week, Montana became the first state to go the distance and officially ban online sweeps. In Louisiana, an approved Senate push to ban them is making swift progress in the House.
The measure is part of a wider crackdown on unauthorized online gambling operators, who would be guilty of a Class D felony and subject to a punishment of up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) recommended the bill, which would gain greater oversight and enforcement powers if passed.
Lawmakers at various stages of the process have cited the need to protect Connecticut’s regulated online casino gaming industry. FanDuel and DraftKings are the two licensed online casino operators in the state via deals with the Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods casinos.
Amendment pared down bill significantly, stripped courier language
Before the Senate voted to send the bill to the House, a significant amendment scaled back the extent of the legislation.
Originally, it had also included a ban on lottery couriers in the state, as third-party couriers continue to face scrutiny in other states, not least Texas.
The filed version of the bill stipulated that “no person shall operate a ticket courier service in this state” and also proposed banning people from reselling lottery tickets.
However, a Senate amendment scratched that language from the bill, meaning that lottery couriers’ status in Connecticut would be unaffected by the passage of this bill. There are currently no major lottery couriers operational in the state.
The amendment also removed other provisions affecting Connecticut’s online gambling market. Notably, under the bill’s original form, the governor would have been able to authorize multi-state gaming compacts and allow Connecticut gamblers to play slots, blackjack, roulette, poker and video poker, bingo, live dealer and other peer-to-peer games against players in other approved states. That provision was also scrapped via the amendment.
