Last updated: January 27, 2025
Connecticut’s General Law Committee is reviewing a bill that would legalize in-flight sports betting on flights departing or arriving in the state, dedicating 1% of revenue to public education. However, Section 41311 of the FAA Authorization Act potentially prohibits any gambling devices on board aircraft in foreign air transportation.
One proposal would legalize and control in-flight sports betting. It would occur on flights departing or arriving in the state, said the bill.
One percent of revenue from in-flight sports wagers would be dedicated to supporting public education in the state’s urban and rural school districts.
The bill is currently in front of the state legislature’s General Law Committee. State Rep. Christopher Rosario, D-Bridgeport, introduced the legislation.
But such a suggestion can be at odds with federal law.
Section 41311 of the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act reads as follows: “An air carrier or foreign air carrier may not install, transport, or operate, or allow the use of, any gambling device on board an aircraft in foreign air transportation.”
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) recently sent letters to DraftKings and Delta Air Lines urging them to delay implementation of a newly announced deal to provide in-flight gaming for passengers.
This new partnership advances the proliferation of sports betting, further fueling a crisis of problem gambling. Betting companies have leveraged data collected on consumers to entice them through bonuses and promotions to hook them on this addictive product – resulting in a public health crisis that is producing huge costs in addiction, financial ruin, family disruption and much more,” Blumenthal wrote in the letter.
A fairly ambiguous statement was made by Delta CEO Ed Bastian in a recent keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) that took place at the Las Vegas Sphere.
“Given that we’re located in Las Vegas, the gaming capital of the world, it’s only proper to announce here a partnership with DraftKings, one of the world’s top online gaming sites, for the Delta Sync experience,” Bastian said.
Besides, there’s a bill that has been brought forward in the Connecticut legislature that would permit in-state wagering on games involving colleges based in Connecticut.
That encompasses institutions such as UConn and Yale. Presently, bets can’t be placed within the state on sports events between these campuses. Therefore, Connecticut citizens now travel out of state in order to bet on sports events featuring Connecticut campus sports teams.
The bill is sponsored by state Rep. Tony Scott, R-Monroe. It’s now pending before the legislature’s General Law Committee.
It would be a huge deal. We would make so much more money as far as the lottery goes. Even on the restaurant side, it would be a bigger deal because then they wouldn’t have to go so many places to play the way they want and gamble the way they want,” Kristina Rodriguez, Fanatics Sportsbook manager, told Connecticut TV station WFSB.
A similar bill did not pass muster in last year’s legislative session.
Connecticut legalized internet sports gambling in 2021.
