DraftKings Pushes CT Sports Betting Regulation With Foxwoods Deal

• DraftKings has partnered with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation in Connecticut.
• Sports betting in Connecticut has been legalized since 2017, but no regulations have been approved yet.
• This new partnership could help get the ball rolling for sports betting legalization in Connecticut.

LEDYARD, Conn. – DraftKings announced on Monday that they have formed a partnership with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe in Connecticut.

The Mashantucket Tribe in Connecticut owns and operates Foxwoods Casino, the second-largest casino in the United States.

Connecticut Sports Betting

Although there is now a partnership between DraftKings and the Mashantucket Tribe, Connecticut sports betting is not yet regulated. One of the main reasons for this is due to the tribes in the state.

Many of the tribes in Connecticut want legal sports betting to be done exclusively through the tribes and their casinos. State lawmakers pushed back on such a notion, which ultimately is delaying sports betting from launching in Connecticut.

This is where DraftKings could become the difference maker in this stalemate.

“Partnering with DraftKings, the most prominent name in sports betting, reinforces the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe’s position as a leader in the gaming and entertainment industry,” said Rodney Butler, chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, which owns and operates Foxwoods. “We’ve proven our ability to shape the future of gaming time and time again, and now we’re ready to drive sports wagering and online gaming for the state of Connecticut. Working through the tribal gaming compacts, we will help bolster our economy with much-needed revenue and virtual entertainment.”

In New Mexico, sports betting is technically not legal at the state level. The tribes in the state decided that within their compact agreement, they have the right to take sports bets.

New Mexico legislators have not put any active efforts to stop this, so there is precedent for the same to happen in Connecticut. Connecticut tribes could potentially go the New Mexico route and launch sports betting without waiting for state approval.

That would be a huge benefit for DraftKings. This would essentially give DraftKings exclusive rights to operate online sports betting in Connecticut. This single partnership could be enough pressure to push the needle for Connecticut sports betting legalization.

“This is a landmark deal in collaboration with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation as well as a critical next step to bringing America’s top-rated sportsbook app to sports fans in Connecticut,” said Matt Kalish, co-founder and President of DraftKings North America. “The national expansion of regulated sports betting is among our top strategic priorities. DraftKings today is live with mobile sports betting in 10 states, more than any other operator in the U.S., and teaming up with the tribe will allow us to extend our reach even further.”

News tags: Connecticut | Daniel Wallach | DraftKings | Foxwoods Casino | Mashantucket Tribe