In Connecticut, live poker is available at the state’s two giant tribal casinos. Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun run cash games and Connecticut poker tournaments throughout the week. You can also sign up for rewards and claim points each time you play.
Live poker in Connecticut is restricted to two gambling sites: Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun. But what restrictions to have when it comes to tournaments, cash, and mixed games.
Foxwoods Resort Casino opened in 1986 and boasts one of the largest poker rooms on the East Coast. The World Poker Room has a staggering 114 tables, spreading a variety of games including Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and Seven-Card Stud.
For cash games, the limits range from $1/$2 to $100/$200, offering flexibility for both low and high-stakes players. Weekly tournaments are a regular feature, allowing players to test their skills and compete for significant prizes.
In addition, Foxwoods hosts major tournaments. The Foxwoods Poker Classic is one of the most famous stops on the World Poker Tour schedule. It’s the perfect test of mettle for Connecticut live poker players.
The resort also offers a robust loyalty scheme. The Foxwoods Rewards Program allows players to earn points for playing poker, which can be redeemed for hotel stays, dining, and more. This scheme adds value to your poker experience, making each game more rewarding.
As for customer reviews, Foxwoods Resort Casino consistently receives high ratings. Guests often praise the quality of the poker room, noting its spaciousness and the professionalism of the staff. The hotel, too, is well-reviewed, with guests highlighting the comfort of the rooms and the range of amenities.
Mohegan Sun is situated on the Mohegan Reservation on the banks of the Thames River. The 42-table Mohegan Sun poker room opened in 1996, and it’s proven to be the perfect little brother to the larger Foxwoods Resort Casino room.
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a newcomer, there’s a game for you at Mohegan Sun. The poker variants offered range from traditional games like Texas Hold’em and Omaha to more exotic ones like Crazy Pineapple and Badugi.
Cash games are available at Mohegan Sun with limits that cater to a wide spectrum of players. From low stakes of $1/$2 to high stakes of $50/$100, there’s a game for every budget.
The poker room also hosts weekly tournaments up to $350. The $160 No Limit Hold’em tourney is popular, but there’s a $350 NLHE game every third Saturday. Bounty tournaments run several times a month too.
Mohegan Sun values its players and offers a robust loyalty scheme. The Momentum program allows players to earn points for playing poker, which can be redeemed for hotel stays, dining, and more.
In addition, you can take advantage of regular point promotions. For instance, you may earn double Status Points at select times during the month. Happy hour deals are also a hit, providing discounted rates during certain hours.
The list of live poker options in CT is small. However, The Constitution State does boast one of the biggest casinos, and the largest cardroom, in this part of the US.
| Cardroom Name | Address | City | Phone Number |
| Foxwoods Resort Casino | 350 Trolley Line Blvd, Mashantucket, CT 06338 | Mashantucket | 1-800-FOXWOODS |
| Mohegan Sun | 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd, Uncasville, CT 06382 | Uncasville | 1-888-226-7711 |
The list of CT casinos is small, but the cardrooms they contain boast some of the best games in town. You can even play on the World Poker Tour.
| Cardroom Name | Games Offered | Number of Tables | Major Events |
| Foxwoods Resort Casino | Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Stud, Stud Hi-Lo, weekly $395 NLHE tournament | 110+ | WPT, WSOP Circuit |
| Mohegan Sun | Texas Hold’em, Stud, Omaha, Razz, Badugi, Crazy Pineapple, 2–7 Triple Draw, $160–$350 NLHE tournaments, Bad Beat Jackpot | 40+ | WSOP Circuit |
Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun don’t just offer lots of poker tables; their hotels can happily accommodate the biggest poker parties in the US.
| Casino Name | Number of Rooms |
| Foxwoods Resort Casino | 2,200+ |
| Mohegan Sun | 1,560+ |
Poker is legal in Connecticut at both tribal casinos in the state. The Department of Consumer Protection is responsible for overseeing all legal poker in The Constitution State.
The CT gambling laws are quite clear on where games can be played: only tribal casinos with state compacts can offer poker. That means you’re restricted to Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun for your fix. Connecticut has no other casinos or poker clubs.
For many years, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 governed the legislation in CT over online poker sites. It determined that taking bets online contravened federal law.
Over the years, the Department of Justice relaxed its stance over the interpretation of the Wire Act. Now, most forms of online gaming are legal in The Constitution State.
Online poker was legalized in Connecticut in 2021. Gov. Lamont signed HB 6451 into law to make Connecticut the seventh US state to have regulated online poker rooms. Online casino games and sports betting are also covered by the bill.
Other legal forms of gambling in Connecticut:
Each Connecticut poker room spreads Texas Hold’em throughout the week. However, you can also enjoy several variants at the cash game and tournament tables.
In Texas Hold’em tournaments, players start with a fixed number of chips. The goal is to win all the chips in play. Blinds increase at regular intervals. In cash games, players can buy in and cash out at any time. Hold’em is also available in bounties and satellites across both CT poker rooms.
Omaha Hi and Hi-Lo games are offered at both Connecticut poker rooms. Omaha is a 4-card version of Hold’em where you start with four hole cards instead of just two. You can play Omaha Hi (where the highest hand wins) or Omaha Hi-Lo, where the lowest qualifying hand may come into play.
7-Card Stud is generally available at Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, though usually as part of the cash game schedule only. In Stud Poker, everyone is dealt a mix of face-up and face-down cards. Betting rounds occur between each card dealt.
The goal is to make the best five-card hand. Unlike Texas Hold’em and Omaha, there are no community cards in Stud Poker.
Stud Hi-Lo is available at the cash tables at Mohegan Sun. In Stud Hi-Lo poker, you are dealt both face-up and face-down cards. The objective is to make the best high and low five-card hands. The pot is split between the highest and lowest hands. Remember, ‘8 or better’ rules often apply for a low.
Razz cash games are offered at Mohegan Sun. In Razz cash games, you aim to make the lowest five-card hand from the seven cards you’re dealt. Unlike Stud, there’s no high-hand winner – the lowest hand takes the pot. Remember, straights and flushes don’t count against you in Razz.
You can play Badugi cash games at the Mohegan Sun cardroom. In Badugi cash games, your goal is to make the lowest four-card hand with all different suits. You’re dealt four cards and have three drawing rounds to improve your hand. Each suit counts only once, and pairs count against you. The lowest hand wins.
In 2-7 Triple Draw, you aim to make the lowest five-card hand possible. You’re dealt five cards and have three opportunities to draw and improve your hand. Straights and flushes count against you, and aces are always high. The lowest hand wins the pot.
Pineapple and Crazy Pineapple are two fun variants of Hold’em that you can play at Mohegan Sun. In Crazy Pineapple Hold’em, you’re dealt three cards instead of two. After the flop, you discard one card. The rest of the game follows traditional Texas Hold’em rules. Your strategy should consider all three cards to maximize post-flop hand potential.
Cash games and tournaments are readily available throughout the week at each Connecticut poker room. Tournaments run nightly from around 7 p.m. onwards. Cash games start at 9 a.m. when the cardrooms open.
In cash games, you’re playing with real money directly on the table. You can join and leave anytime. The blinds remain consistent, and you can rebuy if you lose your chips. Focus on strategic play, patience, and maximizing profit from each hand. Remember, every chip counts.
Both Connecticut poker rooms run nightly tournaments with buy-ins starting around the $150–$160 mark. Most tourneys are played as re-entries, so you can buy back in if you bust out. Watch out for fees: there’s normally a 20% fee added to every buy-in.
In a bounty tournament, you win cash every time you knock out a player. The buy-in includes a bounty payout for each elimination.
Satellites are live qualifiers where you can win entry into a large tournament for less money. Super-satellites offer more seats than a standard satellite, but these are usually reserved for big tour events like the WPT.
The World Poker Tour and WSOP have hosted events in Connecticut. Week or month-long series may contain several tournaments and variants as part of the same schedule.
Foxwoods Resort Casino has played host to the WSOP Circuit in the past. This is a smaller buy-in tournament that replicates the structure of the World Series of Poker Main Event.
In addition, Foxwoods has regularly hosted NLHE satellites into the WSOP Main Event. Step qualifiers give locals the chance to win a Main Event seat for as little as $200.
The Foxwoods Poker Classic was, for years, one of the biggest stops on the World Poker Tour. The main event carried a buy-in of $10,000 and attracted some of the biggest professional players in the world.
Live poker in Connecticut isn’t just about making money: it’s also about earning comps and perks. Each Connecticut poker room runs its own loyalty program that allows you to earn points as you play.
Mohegan Sun runs lots of promotions throughout the month where you can earn double Status Points. This is part of its Momentum program where you can exchange points for free meals and hotel rooms.
Similarly, the Foxwoods Rewards scheme gives you the chance to win credits when you play cash games or enter tournaments. The cardroom runs lots of promotions that let you earn 3X poker rewards points during certain hours.
All live poker options in Connecticut can be found at tribal casinos. This is in keeping with the current legal situation in CT. You can find the rules on our page detailing the state-by-state gambling laws.
Two tribes in CT operate cardrooms: the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe and the Mohegan Tribe. Both tribes have acquired licenses to run legal sportsbooks online too through DraftKings (in partnership with Foxwoods) and FanDuel (who have tied up with Mohegan Sun).
Under Connecticut poker law, home games for profit are explicitly banned. However, there is an exception for social gambling if the organizers can prove that no profits are made from any games.
You can browse and compare CT law to other US gaming laws with our guide.
Follow our guides to discover more about online poker and gaming in Connecticut:
Connecticut is home to some great poker pros, some of whom have amassed millions in prize winnings:
You may be liable for tax on any poker winnings that you rack up. Only poker profits (minus buy-in) over $1,200 are eligible for tax. You’ll be issued a Form W-2G detailing your win, and the IRS will be informed. Plus, you must let the tax office know about your profits and losses when you submit your return.
Both Connecticut casinos have let you view your Win/Loss statements online. Simply log in with your Social Security Number and account details to find all the relevant tax forms.
State income tax in Connecticut is 6.99%. Tax is payable on all poker winnings, regardless of which state you come from. You can’t deduct poker losses on your tax return, at least for CT tax. However, you can adjust your gambling winnings when you calculate your federal tax.
You can also read our full guide to online gambling taxes if you want to know how much you’ll owe on any winnings made at poker sites. Poker sites don’t withhold anything to give to the IRS, so you must do your calculations and keep up-to-date records.
Absolutely. In Connecticut, cash games and tournaments that offer real-money payouts are fully legal at both the state’s tribal casinos. You must be 21+ to play games, and casinos offer a full range of promotions throughout the year.
There are just two recognized poker rooms in Connecticut, both situated on tribal casino properties. Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun are two of the largest and most popular casinos in the United States.
Foxwoods Resort Casino was opened in 1986 for bingo, before adding a casino with poker in 1992. Mohegan Sun opened in south-eastern Connecticut in October 1996.
The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection is responsible for managing tribal-state compacts on poker and other forms of gaming. They ensure that illegal poker games are not offered in CT. Click the link to check a full list of US state and federal gambling commissions.
Yes. Poker sites offer great action for tournament and cash game players alike. You can also claim a welcome bonus when you open your online poker account for the first time.
You must be 21 or over to play poker in Connecticut. This limit applies to all table games, slots, and race betting too. However, you can play bingo from 18+. Check out our full guide to minimum ages for gambling.
The dress code at Connecticut cardrooms changes after 7 p.m. You can wear anything before that time, but after 7 o’clock, you must wear sensible shoes and shirts. Some fashion brands are permitted after 7 p.m.
Each Connecticut poker room offers an impressive range of disciplines, including Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and Stud. You can also play cash games in Badugi, Razz, and 2–7 Triple Draw. There are weekly Hold’em tournaments scheduled at both CT casinos.
No. CT cardrooms open at 9 a.m. and continue to offer cash games and tournaments until 1 a.m., and 4 a.m. on weekends. The last hand is usually called around half an hour before the cardroom shuts.
Yes. The WSOP Circuit has hosted stops at Foxwoods including large-scale main events. The WPT Foxwoods Poker Classic, meanwhile, was for years one of the biggest live tournaments in the United States.
No. All poker in Connecticut can only be offered at the tribal casinos at Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun. This is covered by state-tribal compacts and the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). However, some social poker games may be permitted if no profit is made.
You may be liable for personal income tax on large poker wins over $1,200. The casino may withhold CT tax and inform the IRS of your win. You must remember to submit all relevant forms when you complete your tax return.
Yes. Casinos in CT adhere to all guidelines on gambling responsibly. You’ll also find a list of helplines and websites on the casinos’ homepages. The Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling is the best resource and offers a freephone number to call 1-888-789-7777.
Stephen Song is the most famous and successful player from Connecticut. He has amassed over $5m in tournament earnings during his career. His tournament cashes include the WPT, WSOP, and EPT.
Yes. Cash games are raked at both Connecticut poker rooms. You pay a small charge on all cash pots and for tournament fees. However, you can earn status points when you play to redeem later on.
No. Freerolls are only available at many of Connecticut’s online poker rooms. They are free-to-enter tournaments that guarantee a prizepool from the poker site.
Yes. You can earn reward points at both of Connecticut’s tribal casinos. You rack up points whenever you play a cash game hand or enter a tournament. Points can be redeemed for merchandise, free meals, or accommodation.
Foxwoods Casino opened its new Pequot Woodlands Casino in August 2023. The new casino offers more slots, table games, and restaurants, but there is no new cardroom on-site.
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