Online poker in Connecticut sits in a strange place in 2025. On paper, the state has legalized online casino gaming and specifically authorized online poker. Currently, there is no legal site that residents can log in to from home to play real money cash games or tournaments.
This guide answers the core question “is online poker legal in CT?”, explains how Connecticut gambling laws treat online poker in 2025, and breaks down your options if you want to play online poker in Connecticut today. We will discuss the MSIGA, the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement, regulation, and what sort of tax on online poker winnings might be implemented when legal poker sites launch in the state.
Is Online Poker Legal in Connecticut?
From the legislative perspective, Connecticut has legalized online poker. In May 2021, the state’s two federally recognized tribes made agreements with lawmakers to approve a package that legalizes online casino gaming, sports betting, and online poker. The rules can be found in Chapter 229b of the General Statutes. This chapter sets forth the licensing of online casino gaming and other related activities.
But the regulator's own guidance makes an important distinction. Connecticut's Department of Consumer Protection or the DCP says that online poker has been legalized under Public Act 21-23. At present, no operator has been licensed to offer online poker, meaning that online poker is not currently legal in Connecticut. Simply put, there is no approved place to play for real money within state lines.
Poker is available for live play at the state’s large tribal casinos, under tribal-state compacts with the state. However, commercial venues such as bars are prohibited from hosting live poker tournaments that operate as a gambling operation.
If you’re asking “can you play online poker in Connecticut right now?” — the truth is that it is legally authorized but not yet available. According to the law, real money online poker tables are allowed in CT. However, there are no rooms operating under a state license.
Licensed Poker Sites and Apps in Connecticut
Even though online poker has been made legal, Connecticut won’t have any active, state-licensed real money online poker rooms in 2025. Instead, two legal online casino sites are currently the only options offered under “master wagering” licenses linked to tribal gaming operators. You can find slots, table games, and live dealer titles at these,but no peer-to-peer poker client where players play against each other. That means:
- There are zero intrastate online poker rooms you can join while physically in Connecticut.
- There is no dedicated online poker app approved by the DCP that runs real money Texas Hold’em or Omaha cash games.
- Any real money poker rooms you see advertised to CT residents are operating outside the state regulatory system, even if they are licensed somewhere else.
How to Play Online Poker in CT?
Travel to another regulated state. Many online poker players create accounts for regulated poker rooms in other U.S. states and then play online poker wherever they are located in person. This complies with geolocation laws, but naturally involves travelling.
Use social or sweepstakes poker apps. Instead of traditional real-money bets, these sites usually offer virtual currencies or sweepstakes mechanisms. The legality of these sites is based on their precise model and terms of service but differs from fully regulated Connecticut poker rooms.
International/offshore poker rooms. Some offshore sites do take registrations from Connecticut but they are not licensed by the regulators in Connecticut and may violate the state law. The DCP has addressed unauthorized online casinos in the past due to their lack of local consumer protections against above-average odds.
If you do play online poker in Connecticut, it’s important to study your options carefully. Independent sources like GipsyTeam have guides to the best online poker sites and mobile apps. They provide information on licensing, traffic, bonuses and poker tournaments, but only to use sites regulated by a reputable authority and compliant with Connecticut gambling laws.
How Online Poker Is Regulated in Connecticut
As per Chapter 229b, the state permits online casino gaming through pacts with the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes, which hold a master wagering license. The DCP oversees the licensing and enforcement, while the Department of Revenue Services mainly collects the tax.
Key points of Connecticut’s online gambling laws include:
- All internet casino platforms must be authorized under a master wagering license and comply with technical standards. This includes regular auditing of random number generators (RNGs), which ensures the games’ fairness.
- Players must be 21+ and physically located inside Connecticut to place online casino wagers.
- Operators need to put in place solid responsible-gambling measures (such as deposit and time limits as well as self-exclusion) and make it clear what problem-gambling resources are available.
- The DCP actively enforces the law against unlicensed operators; for instance, it has suspended and subsequently negotiated with entities running unapproved online casino products targeting consumers in Connecticut.
What’s legal for poker in Connecticut (2025)?
| Activity | Status in CT (2025) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Live poker in licensed tribal casinos | Legal & regulated | Offered under tribal-state compacts with full DCP oversight. |
| Home games in private residences | Legally sensitive / gray area | Connecticut law doesn’t provide a broad home-game exemption; hosting games for profit can be treated as illegal gambling. Seek legal advice for large or organized games. |
| Real money online poker on CT-licensed sites | Authorized but not yet available | Online poker is legalized in statutes, but no operators currently offer peer-to-peer games. |
| International / offshore online poker rooms | Not regulated by Connecticut | May conflict with Connecticut gambling laws; players lack local protections if disputes arise. |
Until a licensed operator launches a client, residents of Connecticut have no access to legal state-regulated real money online poker despite the fact that it is in fact legal.
Taxes on Online Poker Winnings in Connecticut
When regulated online poker eventually launches, poker winnings will be fully taxable like other gambling winnings.
The IRS classifies poker winnings as gambling income at the federal level. You must report all winnings that you receive from live casino tables, online poker tournaments or cash games on your federal Form 1040. Big payouts will often cause an automatic federal withholding and, if you get a Form W-2G from the operator, you can use that to claim your withholding.
Connecticut follows suit. According to the state guidance document, Connecticut income tax applies to gambling winnings. Moreover, the state outlines that certain large payouts, including lottery or casino prizes, require withholding at the state’s standard income tax rate.
Practical tips for players:
- Make sure to keep track of your buy-ins, fees, rebuys, and tourney results—even if you play mostly outside CT or online.
- Gambling losses can only be deducted against gambling winnings, and usually only if you itemize deductions on your federal return.
- Before you begin grinding high-stakes online poker in Connecticut or any other place, consult with a tax expert on gambling income.
Even today, when you travel out of state to play regulated online poker or win big in live events, the same rules on tax on online poker winnings apply.
Interstate Poker and Shared Liquidity (MSIGA)
One of the biggest questions for future CT online poker is whether the member states of the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA) will share player pools. MSIGA is a state compact that allows for poker player pool sharing among member states.
If operators live in at least two of these jurisdictions, it may combine tables, creating bigger tournaments and more stable cash-game traffic than any one small market could support on its own.
Connecticut has moved toward this model. In 2025, legislators introduced Senate Bill 1464 which is a bipartisan measure to allow the governor to explicitly sign multijurisdictional internet gaming agreements for peer-to-peer casino games like online poker. The bill also aims to tighten responsible-gambling standards for online sports wagering. The bill advanced through the committee and was reviewed in detail but had not yet been fully enacted
If Connecticut ultimately joins MSIGA, any future poker room licensed in the state could:
- Share liquidity with existing MSIGA member states.
- Offer larger guaranteed tournaments and more active mid- and high-stakes games than a stand-alone CT-only network could sustain.
- Compete more directly with the best online poker sites operating nationally in other regulated markets.
Future Outlook & Connecticut Online Poker FAQs
Connecticut has legalized online casino gaming and sits in the first tier of U.S. states for casino gaming. However, real money online poker still has not yet launched in Connecticut. The main cause of the gap in value is economics (a relatively small population) and lack of shared liquidity.
With SB 1464 and similar bills in play, regulators, tribes and lawmakers are clearly looking at ways to make online poker work, primarily by joining MSIGA and clarifying peer-to-peer game rules. Simultaneously, the DCP has demonstrated a readiness to shut down illicit online casinos and unregistered slot machines, implying that any poker launch in the near future will adhere to strict compliance and have strong responsible-gambling protections.
Connecticut Online Poker FAQs
Is online poker legal in CT right now?
The law in Connecticut, which allows online poker, authorizes poker as a direct part of the online casino, but no operator has yet launched a licensed poker client. DCP makes it clear that online poker is “not legal currently” in practice but is “allowed” as per DCP. As of now, you cannot connect to a site licensed in Connecticut and play for real money poker online from home.
Can you play online poker in Connecticut on offshore sites?
In technical terms, many offshore poker rooms welcome CT players, yet these venues are unregulated by Connecticut and may breach state gambling laws. If you happen to run into a situation when your cash gets frozen, your game is rigged, or your dispute is unresolved, there’s no local regulator to help you out. The state authorities have already taken action against illegal online casinos, which shows that they take illegal online gambling seriously.
How will taxes work on future online poker winnings?
In Connecticut, online poker winnings will be treated like other gambling winnings. If you are a resident, then you would owe Connecticut income tax and federal tax. Big payouts might get taxed right away, and you’ll get a W-2G form. The most defensible way to remain compliant is to keep records and consult a tax professional.
What is the expected date of the launch of online poker?
There’s no firm date. First lawmakers need to get a deal done on legislation like SB 1464 or its successor. Next licensed operators must decide to offer online poker (likely with MSIGA shared liquidity). If the current trend continues, online poker in Connecticut might become a reality in the next couple of years. A good betting app will be likely to have an online poker option. Until that changes, there’s only one truly safe and fully legal way for you to play cards and it’s at licensed brick-and-mortar poker rooms or in other states that have legal online poker.