House Bill 5284 (sHB5284 File No. 271), titled "AN ACT REVISING VARIOUS GAMING STATUTES," seeks to amend current gaming laws in Connecticut. The bill introduces new definitions such as "gaming laboratory" and "keno," renumbers existing definitions, and mandates that the Department of Consumer Protection regulate the Connecticut Lottery Corporation's operations, including the integrity of the state lottery, retail sports wagering, online sports wagering, and fantasy contests. It requires that lottery gaming systems, lottery draw games, and keno be tested and certified by a gaming laboratory, with the frequency and manner of testing determined by the department. The bill also updates the process for issuing vendor, affiliate, lottery sales agent, and occupational licenses, including the requirement for a nonrefundable application fee and criminal history records checks.

The bill further outlines the conditions for provisional authorizations for applicants, the process for reporting incidents that disrupt the lottery gaming system, and the commissioner's authority to suspend or revoke licenses. It expands the definition of "business organization" and clarifies terms such as "control" and "person." The bill also redefines terms related to tribal gaming agreements, online gaming, and sports wagering, and introduces new terms like "consumables," "electronic wagering platform," and "e-bingo machine." It prohibits sports wagering on individual athletes in Connecticut college sports and makes changes to the definition of key employees for gaming licensure purposes. Additionally, the bill prohibits the use of animals as prizes in bazaars and raffles, with certain exemptions, and includes gender-neutral language updates. The fiscal impact statement indicates potential costs for testing and certification, revenue gains from the expansion of sports betting, and potential revenue loss due to changes in the lottery sales agent license application process. The bill has been given a Joint Favorable Substitute by the Public Safety and Security Committee.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 12-806a, 12-815a, 12-863, 12-864, 12-578, 53-250
PS Joint Favorable Substitute: 12-806a, 12-815a, 12-863, 12-864, 12-578, 53-250
File No. 271: 12-806a, 12-815a, 12-863, 12-864, 12-578, 53-250