NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — The Connecticut Lottery Corporation opened its first retail sports betting venue on Monday.
The first official state-wide, in-person bet at a retail sports betting venue will take place at Sports Haven in New Haven at 2 p.m. Online sports wagering and online casino games fully launched in Connecticut on Oct. 19.
With a cut of the ceremonial red ribbon Monday, it was game-on for in-person sports betting with Connecticut Lottery partners Sportech and Rush Street interactive.
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Ribbon Cutting 
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The brand Play Sugar House is where customers will place a bet. Governor Ned Lamont placed his $20 bet on football; Giants over the Chiefs.
The Connecticut Lottery will have 15 locations in addition to the New Haven site there will be venues in Bridgeport, Hartford, Stamford, and other strategic sites.
Ted Taylor, the CEO of Sportech said, “It’s a historic day for our first day of sports betting in the state.”
The state is expecting $40 million in revenue the first year from expansion into sports betting. Since the Lottery began in 1972, its contributions to the General Fund have exceeded $10.6 billion.
Connecticut Lottery will now also run I-Lottery. Last year, the Connecticut Lottery contributed $416 million in revenue to the state on its old platform.
Rob Simmelkjaer, the chair of the CT LOTTERY, commented on the day. “It’s yet another milestone…in this journey, we are on.”
Governor Lamont reminded everyone it was a long process, years of negotiation. “Negotiations like this especially with our Tribal partners.”
Both the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequots opened their in-person sports betting weeks ago at Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods respectively.
The betting kiosks in New Haven are remarkably not affected by the supply chain backup, which allowed gaming fans to place a bet right away.
Vincent Rosarbo from Branford placed a football sports bet on Monday. He and his friends are happy about the new developments. “We would end up going to New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island now it’s right in my backyard.”
Sports Haven will eventually close. A new location in Elm City will be named soon.
Simmelkjaer reminds everyone to “bet because it’s fun. Bet because you want to, not because you have to.”
The Connecticut Lottery Corporation reminds the public that Lottery purchasers must be 18 or older, and players must be 21 or older to place sports wagers. If you gamble, please play responsibly and use your Game Sense offering a GAMBLING HOTLINE IS 1-888-789-7777.
The PlaySugarHouse retail sportsbooks will expand to seven additional Sportech locations in Hartford, Manchester, Waterbury, Torrington, New Britain, Milford, and Norwalk throughout the coming weeks.
The Connecticut Lottery and RSI are authorized to operate up to 15 PlaySugarHouse retail sports wagering locations, most of which will be within an approximately 30-minute drive for most Connecticut residents.
Information about gaming in Connecticut is available at ct.gov/gaming. Information on services available in Connecticut for those who may have a problem with gambling is available at portal.ct.gov/problemgaming.