Connecticut Online Casino Handle Up in May But Revenue Declines

The online gaming and sports betting market in Connecticut had a mixed month in May but the state’s gaming scene has proven to be pretty consistent since its launch last year.

In October 2021, Connecticut began offering iGaming and mobile sports betting as well as retail sports wagering.

The online casino handle was $774,150,639 in May, representing a 1.8% increase from the figures in April ($760,560,593) in a month-over-month comparison.

However, the total taxable gaming revenue for online casinos was $16,575,801 in May, down 10.2% from the $18,467,342 in April, according to the Connecticut State Department of Consumer Protection. The state revenue share was down by the same percentage, falling from $3,324,122 to $2,983,644.

The state’s sports betting market was off slightly compared to April, which is pretty typical in a slow time of year nationwide.

The total sports betting handle in May was $115,180,155, down 1.1% from $116,465,199 in April. The mobile sports betting handle was $107.75 million, also down slightly, 1.5% compared to $109.44 million in the previous month.

The one category with an increase was in retail sports betting handle, which rose 5.8% from $7.02 million to $7.43 million.

The total taxable gaming revenue was very close to reaching April’s level, dipping just 0.7% from $7.19 million in April to about $6.7 million. The state revenue share was $981,304 in May compared to $988,263 in April.

When Connecticut launched last year, it became one of a small number of states to offer real money iGaming. Michigan also launched recently, with those two states joining New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Those six states have legalized online poker as well, along with Nevada.

Mobile gaming and in-house wagering are available at both of Connecticut’s tribal casinos – the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville and the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket. The Mohegan Sun, home of the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun, reported on-reservation iGaming numbers for the first time in May. The Mashantucket Pequot Tribe had done so at Foxwoods since December.