High 5 Games exits Connecticut iGaming market after $1.4m Settlement

High 5 Games, a prominent online casino content provider, has agreed to a $1.44 million (€1.06 million) settlement with Connecticut regulators following allegations of operating an unlicensed online casino in the state.

The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) announced the agreement in late May 2025, concluding an investigation into High 5 Games’ sweepstakes-based High 5 Casino platform, which was found to have accepted wagers from Connecticut residents without proper authorisation.

The DCP’s inquiry revealed that around 1,100 Connecticut users accessed the unlicensed High 5 Casino, with 911 losing a combined $938,000 (€694,000).

Notably, 108 of these individuals were on the state’s Voluntary Self-Exclusion List, designed to protect those struggling with gambling addiction.

Losses among self-excluded players totaled nearly $300,000 (€222,000), highlighting significant gaps in consumer protection and regulatory compliance.

As part of the settlement, High 5 Games will pay over $643,000 (€476,000) in restitution to 794 affected users. An additional $800,000 (€592,000) will be directed to consumer complaint resolution, education and enforcement initiatives. Any unclaimed restitution after six months will be transferred to the state.

In exchange for meeting these terms and ceasing all unlicensed operations in Connecticut, the DCP reinstated High 5 Games’ supplier license effective May 22, 2025, dropping more than 1,000 criminal charges previously filed against the company.

High 5 Games is now required to implement robust geolocation controls to prevent Connecticut residents from accessing its platform, including blocking VPN workarounds.

The company is also obligated to submit quarterly compliance reports through April 2026 and is prohibited from offering sweepstakes gaming in Connecticut without a license.

Despite this regulatory setback, High 5 Games continues to supply slot content to licensed online casinos in Connecticut, such as DraftKings and FanDuel. However, users can no longer access High 5 Casino directly within the state.

The settlement underscores the importance of strict adherence to Connecticut’s 2021 gaming expansion law, which limits legal online casino operations to two entities: DraftKings in partnership with Foxwoods and FanDuel with Mohegan Sun.

This case follows similar enforcement actions against High 5 Games in other states, including a $24.9m (€18.4 million) penalty in Washington for unlicensed gambling activities.

Connecticut officials emphasised that these measures are part of ongoing efforts to ensure a fair, safe and legal gaming environment for all residents.