Policymakers in Connecticut must try again next year to prohibit the use of credit cards to fund online sports betting accounts.
Earlier this month, the Connecticut House passed legislation to ban state-sanctioned online sportsbooks from accepting credit card deposits.
H.B. No. 5269 cleared the House by a 100-46 vote. The legislation was sent to the Connecticut Senate, where it died without further action at the close of this year’s session.
The legislation ran out of time.
According to reports, the bill may have stalled because of concern that it didn’t have enough input from the tribal gambling industry.
Still, the legislation was popular and should have momentum in 2026.
Current Sports Gambling Outlook in CT
The state’s two tribes run online sports betting through partnerships with mobile betting companies. DraftKings, FanDuel and Fanatics offer online sports gambling in Connecticut.
Fanatics offers online sports gambling through the CT Lottery. Meanwhile, DraftKings partnered with Foxwoods Casino and FanDuel with the Mohegan Sun Casino.
According to FanDuel’s house rules in Connecticut, the betting app caps credit card deposits at $2,500 annually per person.
DraftKings’ website states that it currently doesn’t allow credit card deposits in Connecticut.
Fanatics Sportsbook also doesn’t accept credit cards for funding player accounts.
Connecticut policymakers have expressed interest in ensuring the CT Lottery doesn’t eventually authorize Fanatics Sportsbook to accept credit cards, according to CT News Junkie.
From Restriction to CT Credit Card Betting Ban
Connecticut was looking to follow Illinois, which in May became the seventh state with legalized online sports betting to ban credit card deposits.
However, the first version of Connecticut’s H.B. 5269 didn’t call for a credit card prohibition.
Instead, it required sportsbooks to “obtain the permission of all account holders before authorizing any debit, charge or withdrawal on a jointly held debit card or credit card account.”
“The fact that you could fund a gambling account with a joint credit card, and your spouse may not know that you’re using that card for that purpose, is outrageous,” said State Rep. David Rutigliano, a sponsor of the bill.
A last-minute amendment adopted before the House passed the legislation included language for a complete ban on credit card sports betting deposits.
Sports Betting Advertising Change
There was more in H.B. 5269 than a CT credit card betting ban.
The second component of the bill involved banning sports betting ads that “offer any financial incentive in order to induce individuals to engage in gaming.”
Online sportsbooks could still advertise in Connecticut, but they wouldn’t be able to promote their so-called “bonus bets” or “deposit match” promos.
“Who is responding to an ad where you only bet five bucks, you get 200 bucks? Somebody who can’t really afford to bet,” Rutigliano said. “Many of those ads have you do thousands of dollars worth of bets in a short period of time to get your $200.”
The proposed rule change would apply to any form of sports gambling marketing from operators.
The legislation, if enacted, would have a significant impact on Connecticut’s online sports gambling market.
As of mid-2025, Connecticut sportsbooks have generated $677 million in gross revenue from users, according to Legal Sports Report.
Related: CT Gambling Study: Half Of Sports Betting Revenue Comes From Addicts
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