The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection has issued provisional licenses for the operation of daily fantasy sports in Connecticut.
It is the latest move toward implementation of sports betting and online gaming under a law signed by Gov. Ned Lamont in May.
That law is the result of an agreement reached between the state and the Mohegan Tribe and Mashantucket Pequot Tribe that allows the tribes and the Connecticut Lottery Corp. to offer online gaming, sports wagering, retail sports wagering, and fantasy contests.
The news follows on the heels of Mohegan”™s announcement that it has officially launched an iGaming division, Mohegan Digital.
The provisional licenses were issued to MPTN CT Fantasy LLC, a wholly owned affiliate of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation; MGA Technology DFS LLC, a wholly owned affiliate of the Mohegan Tribe of Indians; and the Connecticut Lottery Corp.
The provisional licenses authorize those entities to operate fantasy contests off the reservations of the tribes. Each entity may contract with any individual or entity to operate fantasy contests in Connecticut, provided that entity holds a valid license in at least one other state and makes a payment to the state for past operations.
MPTN CT Fantasy has contracted with DraftKings, which was required to pay the state $832,383.45. MGA Technology DFS has contracted with FanDuel, which was required to pay the state $325,914.91. The Lottery Corp. has yet to enter into a contract with a fantasy sports operator.
The provisional licenses will expire on the earlier of Sept. 30 or the date on which the more comprehensive licenses provided for in the May legislation have been issued.
“This short-term step allows for the continuation of fantasy sports in Connecticut as we continue to move forward to modernize our gaming landscape in Connecticut,” Lamont said. “Thanks to our partnership with the Mohegan Tribe, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, and the Connecticut Lottery Corp., our state will have a competitive, and nation-leading model for wagering both in-person and online.”
“We are proud to have been able to approve these provisional licenses, a process designed to protect consumers and create a fair marketplace, so that these businesses may legally operate fantasy contests in Connecticut,” added Consumer Protection Commissioner Michelle Seagull.
