- Senator Richard Blumenthal has criticized Connecticut’s proposed in-flight betting bill, citing public health risks and concerns over minors accessing gambling.
- Blumenthal also highlighted federal restrictions under the Gambling Devices Act of 1961, urging DraftKings and Delta to pause their partnership on airborne gambling.
HARTFORD, Conn. – Sports betting may soon take flight in Connecticut—literally. Representative Christopher Rosario (D-128th District) has introduced Proposed Bill No. 6051, which aims to legalize and regulate in-flight sports betting on flights originating or terminating in the state.
The legislation would allow platforms like DraftKings, FanDuel, or Fanatics to enable wagers at 35,000 feet, marking a bold new frontier in the gambling industry.
Beyond its groundbreaking nature, the bill also sets aside where sports betting revenue would head: 1% of revenue from in-flight sports betting would be allocated to public education in Connecticut’s rural and urban school districts.
As the state pushes to expand its gambling footprint with a half dozen bills filed this week, this initiative positions Connecticut as an innovator in sports betting legislation.
A National Debate Taking Off
Connecticut’s bill comes amid increasing interest in the concept of airborne gambling. Earlier this month, DraftKings and Delta Air Lines announced a partnership to explore in-flight gaming. While details remain sparse, the deal signals a growing interest in combining sports betting in airports and other travel destinations – a move some experts see as inevitable.
However, the partnership has already encountered turbulence. U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) has raised significant concerns, urging both companies to pause implementation. Citing the Gambling Devices Act of 1961, which prohibits gambling on commercial aircraft, Blumenthal described the partnership as a public health risk.
“Betting companies have leveraged data collected on consumers to entice them through bonuses and promotions to hook them on this addictive product—resulting in a public health crisis,” Blumenthal said in a letter to DraftKings CEO Jason Robins and Delta CEO Ed Bastian. Blumenthal also emphasized the potential dangers for minors, noting that many young people fly each year. “This partnership seems aimed at enticing the flying public—including possibly problem gamblers or recovering problem gamblers—to engage in a high-risk activity from their seatbacks.”
Industry and Regulatory Hurdles
Rosario’s legislation would require compliance with the state’s existing agreements with the Connecticut Lottery Corporation and tribal entities, ensuring the bill aligns with Connecticut sports betting laws. Yet, the state’s push could face federal resistance, with many viewing in-flight sports betting as a test case for whether Congress or federal regulators will intervene.
As the legal and ethical debates surrounding airborne gambling intensify, one thing is clear: Connecticut is determined to stay at the forefront of the legal sports betting industry.
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News tags: Airplanes | Christopher Rosario | Connecticut | Delta | DraftKings | Fanatics | FanDuel | Richard Blumenthal

After spending time scouting college basketball for Florida State University under Leonard Hamilton and the University of Alabama under Anthony Grant, Michael started writing focused on NBA content. A graduate of both schools, he now covers legal sports betting bills, sports betting revenue data, tennis betting odds, and sportsbook reviews. Michael likes to play basketball, hike, and kayak when not glued to the TV watching midlevel tennis matches.