Report: 38% of Connecticut’s Wagering Activity Is Along I-95 Corridor

Dramatic changes in Connecticut’s gaming laws – the most comprehensive in decades - are not going unnoticed just across the border, according to recent published reports, particularly the introduction in recent weeks of online sports betting.

“Rather than flocking to New Jersey and Pennsylvania to gamble, (people) are taking full advantage of Connecticut, the newest New York City metropolitan area state to enter the legalized sports betting market,” according to the website topuscasinos.com, and other online publications,” citing a report from GeoComply, a geolocation security company. 

A report last week featured on the GeoComply website notes that “Since the initial soft launch, there have been over 1.2 million transactions, most of which have taken place after the state’s full launch on October 19. With a population of just over 3.5 million, Connecticut has quickly ranked itself as 9th in terms of overall online sports betting and casino traffic, already having surpassed Colorado with a larger population of 5.7 million.”

“Easily accessed from the New York City area, GeoComply’s data shows 38% of Connecticut’s wagering activity has originated from the southwestern corner of the state along the I-95 corridor,” said Chad Kornett, VP Global Government Relations of GeoComply, based in Vancouver, BC.   

He added that heavy volumes have been concentrated in Stamford and Bridgeport, and other highway entry points stretching north along the New York border have also been hotspots. An infographic density map developed by the company demonstrates the concentration of online casino and sports betting activity in Connecticut as of last week. The larger and darker a shaded area is, the more density it contains, according to GeoComply officials.

In a news release announcing the start of full-fledged online wsgering, the Governor’s office announced on October 18 that The Connecticut Lottery Corporation, the Mohegan Tribe, and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe may begin offering online wagering to all adults of legal betting age through their online gaming operating partners, which include Rush Street Interactive, FanDuel, and DraftKings, respectively, as of October 19. Both tribes may also offer iCasino, the news release pointed out.  More than 130 games have been approved by the Department of Consumer Protection for both the FanDuel and DraftKings apps, the Governor’s Office indicated.

“This is an exciting moment for our state and our tribal partners,” Governor Lamont said at that time. “Connecticut has proven to be a leader when it comes to the gaming economy going back decades, and that legacy will continue with the launch of these new online options for all eligible residents. I am very proud to say that I placed the first legal, in-person sports wager in our state’s history just two weeks ago, and I encourage those who want to participate in placing wagers to do so, responsibly.”

GeoComply provides fraud prevention and cybersecurity solutions; its software is installed on over 400 million devices, according to company officials. The company’s list of customers reportedly includes Amazon Prime Video, BBC, Akamai, Sightline, DraftKings, FanDual and MGM Resorts.