Connecticut beats Rhode Island to the punch on pot and poker – The Boston Globe

When Governor Dan McKee signs the state budget for the fiscal year that started July 1 into law later this morning, you can expect him to praise lawmakers for sending him a plan that doesnt raise taxes or overspend on federal relief money, and includes a little something to make almost everyone happy.

But there are two revenue-producing items that arent in the budget, and it looks like Connecticut is going to have a leg up on Rhode Island on both: cannabis and online poker.

While the Rhode Island Senate did approve a bill to legalize cannabis, the House of Representatives didnt take a vote before the legislative session ended last week. All signs suggest that a legalization bill could be considered in the fall.

Connecticut beat the state to the punch by approving a cannabis bill, and some aspects of the law have already taken effect. As of July 1, adults can replace their nutmeg with up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana. In October, medical marijuana patients will be allowed to grow their own plants at home.

Retail sales and other growing rules are further down the line. The state expects retail to begin late next year, and all adults will be allowed to grow marijuana at home on July 1, 2023.

McKee and other legislative leaders have stressed that they dont believe Rhode Island is in a race to approve cannabis its been legal in Massachusetts for a while now but theres always the chance that the state could expedite its retail timeline in order to cash in before Connecticut.

When it comes to online gambling, Connecticut is years behind Rhode Island in sports betting, but the state has now legalized sports wagering, online casinos, and online poker. Rhode Island doesnt yet offer online casinos or poker.

Poker is particularly significant because, even though it doesnt produce massive revenue, the seven states that have legalized online poker are expected to eventually offer interstate gambling, which will be attractive to the gamblers seeking large prize pools.

If you flash back 15 or so years, you might remember all the online poker ads that aired on television. That industry largely dried up in the US because Congress approved the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in 2006, which banned online poker. But the Justice Department recently threw in the towel on that policy, and Connecticut became the seventh state to legalize it.

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Governor Dan McKee is scheduled to sign the state budget into law at 11 a.m.

Governor McKee and Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos are holding their weekly press conference at 2 p.m.

Democrat Oscar Vargas will officially be elected to the Providence City Council because he faces no opponent in todays general election in Ward 15.

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Dan McGowan can be reached at dan.mcgowan@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter at @danmcgowan.

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Connecticut beats Rhode Island to the punch on pot and poker - The Boston Globe