News writer
It is an exciting time for lottery players in Connecticut, as the state Lottery is ready to launch online lottery sales soon, and a soft launch period has begun!
The time is almost here
Players in the Connecticut Lottery could be just 14 days away from being able to purchase lottery tickets online officially. Art Mongillo, the Connecticut Lottery Corp.'s public affairs manager, said the state's iLottery is “hoping to launch in the next two weeks or so,” the Public Gaming Research Institute reported.
International Game Technology (IGT) is the company building the online lottery platform for the Connecticut Lottery and Mongillo said they are “working on completing final regulatory requirements.”
A move to online lottery sales
While it has been a longer-than-expected road for the Connecticut Lottery to online lottery sales, it's definitely a journey that many states are taking with the shift from in-person to online lottery sales.
Currently, there are 45 states and Washington, D.C. that have state lotteries. In each of those states and D.C., players can play the lottery by buying a ticket or instant scratch-off ticket at a lottery retailer. A lot of lottery retailers are held inside grocery stories, gas stations, and convenience stores.
Of the 45 states and D.C. that offer lottery sales, 31 of them offer online lottery tickets. According to PGRI, those 31 states fall into one of three categories:
- 16 states: These states offer sales only through courier services like Jackpocket, which buys the tickets for customers rather than selling them directly.
- 12 states: These states offer online ticket sales only through the state-run lottery.
- 3 states: The remaining three states offer online ticket sales through the state-run lottery and a courier service.
Connecticut iLottery - a timeline
While it is exciting news to hear about the imminent launch of online lottery sales in Connecticut, this has not been a smooth journey for the state.
Connecticut was all ready to join the iLottery club back in 2021. That is when lawmakers legalized online lottery sales for the state. The iLottery was part of sweeping legislation in the state that legalized online casinos, online sports betting, online fantasy sports contests, and online keno.
While Connecticut was ready to become the 32nd state to offer some form of online lottery sales in 2021, the launch has seen its set of delays. IGT has taken longer than expected to launch the state's iLottery. However, players should now see the debut of online ticket sales in the next two weeks or so.
A soft launch is in place
While the official launch is two weeks away, the Connecticut Lottery has announced a soft launch for the iLottery. During this soft launch period, players can create new user accounts and place online wagers only on specific days and times. Those days and times are as follows:
- Monday, June 10 - 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET
- Tuesday, June 11 - 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET
- Wednesday, June 12 - 1:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. ET
- Thursday, June 13 - 1:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. ET
During the soft launch period, the Connecticut Lottery states the CT Lottery mobile app is only available for checking tickets and winning numbers during the hours above.
Enjoy playing the Connecticut Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.
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