Horse racing tracks

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Sportech, with its North American headquarters in New Haven, holds the exclusive right to run parimutuel betting in Connecticut on horse racing, jai alai and dog racing at tracks around the world. That right includes bets taken in person and over the telephone — which is crucial, because the state's approval of the Internet platform is an extension of the phone operations.

The approval by the state Department of Consumer Protection, which regulates legal gambling, will add a relatively small amount of revenue to the state's coffers, as the state collects about 3.5 percent of all in-state wagers from Sportech — in person at the 15 Winners locations, by telephone and starting soon, online. In fiscal year 2009, the state and towns netted $7.6 million; there's no estimate of the expected amount with online betting added.

In sharp contrast to the hotly debated expansion of legalized poker and other games on the Internet, the online extension for Sportech required no legislation, no public hearings, no vetting by the state attorney general. It was, as Consumer Protection Commissioner William Rubenstein said, already allowed under state law and his department needed only to approve the systems that will make it happen.

Rubenstein and other state officials portrayed the move as far from a legalization of Internet gaming, which, they say, would be a major policy shift if and when it happened. And that won't be in 2013 if Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has his way.

"The governor has no interest in pursuing Internet gambling," said his spokesman, Andrew Doba.

Horse racing tracks

Horse racing tracks

Horse racing tracks

Horse racing tracks

Horse racing tracks

Horse racing tracks

Horse racing tracks

Horse racing tracks

Horse racing tracks

Horse racing tracks

Horse racing tracks

Horse racing tracks

Horse racing tracks

Horse racing tracks

Horse racing tracks

Horse racing tracks

Horse racing tracks

Horse racing tracks

Horse racing tracks

Horse racing tracks