A recent study conducted by the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services shed light on the public’s attitude towards gambling in the state. The findings revealed that 93.5% of respondents rated gambling as either “not at all” or “not very” important. Additionally, 67.2% of those surveyed expressed concerns that the risks associated with gambling outweigh the benefits, with 69.2% highlighting addiction as the primary risk of legalized gambling in Connecticut.
Despite these concerns, the majority (70.8%) of participants believe that it is the shared responsibility of both gamblers and providers to minimize the harms of gambling. While 68.7% remained neutral on the integrity and fairness of gambling offerings in the state, only 17.3% expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s efforts to address gambling-related harms.
On a positive note, the study also highlighted the economic benefits of legalized gambling, such as job creation and increased government revenue. Specifically, 21.6% of respondents pointed to employment opportunities, while 20.1% cited increased revenue for the state. Furthermore, 12.7% mentioned the financial benefits for tribes, and 13.5% noted the importance of retaining money within Connecticut.
Despite concerns about the negative impacts of gambling, only a small percentage of surveyed individuals were categorized as problem gamblers (1.8%), with the majority (62.6%) identified as recreational gamblers. With the recent legalization of online gambling in Connecticut, the state has seen a positive impact on both its land-based casinos and overall gaming revenue.
According to a report commissioned by iDEA, the introduction of online casino gaming in Connecticut has helped boost the gross gaming revenue of land-based casinos. In fact, the state witnessed a 0.34% increase in GGR following the launch of online casino platforms. This success story further dispels the notion that online gambling cannibalizes land-based casinos, as seen in states like Michigan, where land-based GGR surged by 4.89% after the introduction of online gaming.
