The Connecticut Lottery Corp. today will open its first retail sports betting venue at Sports Haven in New Haven less than a week after online gambling officially came online in the state.
Sports Haven will be the first of 15 PlaySugarHouse retail sportsbooks scheduled to open in Connecticut in coming weeks, according to the CLC. The retail sportsbooks at Bobby V’s Restaurant & Sports Bar locations in Stamford and Windsor Locks will soon open and begin accepting bets, as well.
“This has been a long time coming for Connecticut players,” CLC President and CEO Greg Smith said. “Together with our partners Rush Street Interactive and Sportech Venues, we can offer bettors world-class, in-person sportsbooks.”
In August, CLC reached an agreement with Rush Street Interactive (RSI) — which owns and operates the PlaySugarHouse sportsbook brand — for the Chicago-based online casino operator to serve as CLC’s exclusive provider for online gambling, including operating the lottery’s online sportsbook. Under the 10-year deal RSI will guarantee a $170 million minimum revenue share from online and retail sports betting for the Connecticut Lottery.
CLC also announced over the summer that New Haven-based Sportech PLC will offer retail sports betting at 10 of its current locations.
The PlaySugarHouse retail sportsbooks will expand to seven additional Sportech locations in Hartford, Manchester, Waterbury, Torrington, New Britain, Milford, and Norwalk in the days ahead, CLC said.Â
Officials from CLC, RSI and Sportech today will join state officials including Gov. Ned Lamont for a ribbon cutting at Sports Haven today at 2 p.m. for a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the first sports gambling venue opening its doors.
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