The state is one of a small handful still exploring online poker as an option
Online gaming was legalized in Connecticut in February 2022. And while online poker was a big part of pushing through legislation, the state has been slow in making virtual poker tables available.
Connecticut tribal gaming operators are responsible for online gaming, including the Mohegan Tribe, operators of the Mohegan Sun and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, which runs Foxwoods. A report released this week indicates that poker players in the state will have to wait a while longer.
“It’s coming eventually,” said Mashantucket Pequot Chairman Rodney Butler in a statement to PlayUSA.
"The issue with online poker in every market is liquidity. If you don't have a large enough pool, it's not as successful. And so we haven't gone down the path of trying to identify how we do those multistate agreements and the like that would build enough liquidity for it to be worthwhile for the players and for us."
With its small population, Connecticut must join the interstate shared liquidity market with states like New Jersey, Nevada and Michigan to have a large enough player pool.
This may be difficult, as the law allows tribes to partner with major online poker providers like PartyPoker and PokerStars. However, the big obstacle is that the regulations don’t give tribes the power to pool players with other states, meaning legislators would need to change the law to permit interstate compacts.
Connecticut’s population of 3.6 million isn’t big enough to operate as a single online poker market. However, pooling those players with other states could be an excellent addition.
West Virginia is another low-population state, with 1.8 million people and legalized online poker. Interstate compacts are allowed by law, but players have yet to see any operators launch in the state.
Emma Rodriguez is the Proofreader at the Big Blind, with seven years of experience and five years in online gambling. She plays a crucial role in maintaining content quality by ensuring error-free, reader-friendly information about the gambling industry.
