Connecticut legislators have until May 8 to approve the latest proposed modifications to the sports betting law that would permit wagering on Connecticut based schools involved in tournament play, such as UConn, where the NCAA women and men’s basketball programs are among the more successful in the country.
Not everyone supports the revision.
“Governor Ned Lamont is one of the UConn Huskies’ biggest fans, but he agrees with Connecticut’s Higher Education leaders that residents here should not be able to bet on UConn games,” Julia Bergman, spokeswoman for Lamont, told NBC.
The change, known as File No. 271, is expected to produce as much as $1 million in revenue annually starting in FY2025.
The legislation also prohibits celebrities in any advertisements for sports betting. Related advertising changes: only those 21 and older may be included in an ad. Even then, if the majority of viewers are considered under 21, the ads are blocked.
Under the terms of File No. 271, licensees may not use third party advertisers if “compensation is dependent on, or related to, the volume of individuals who become patrons, the volume or amount of wagers placed or the outcome of wagers.”
But those 18 and older may play the lottery, keno, and daily fantasy sports.
With its approval, the Legislative Commissioners Office forwarded File No. 271 to the House floor.
