As the Rhode Island legislative session nears a close, a proposal to open up the RI sports betting market still has momentum.
The Rhode Island Senate approved a bill that would open RI sports betting to more operators, 30-2, on Wednesday. The Ocean State only has one sportsbook operating, Sportsbook Rhode Island, run by International Game Technology.
Senate Bill 748 now moves to the House. The legislative session ends June 30.
New Rhode Island sports betting market?
The IGT contract with the state lottery runs through November 2026. Lawmakers are now looking at allowing other operators, including industry leaders DraftKings and FanDuel, into the state.
Senate Marjority Leader Frank Ciccone is at the helm of the movement. Ciccone’s legislation would require the lottery to award at least two more licenses, and no more than five.
The lottery published a report by Spectrum Gaming Group earlier this year that recommended the state add four to six new sportsbook operators. The agency plans to issue a request for information early next year, per the Rhode Island Current.
House poses hurdle
A House companion bill to Ciccone’s proposal is held up in the House Committee on Finance.
House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi previously said the bill is not needed because of the IGT contract’s 2026 term. However, Shekarchi said he would review the legislation following the Senate vote.
Ciccone also has a bill that would create a one-year prison term and $1,000 fine for letting anyone under 21 place bets or play games through the Bally’s-managed online casino in the state. Some lawmakers balked at the proposal, since the in-person betting age at Rhode Island casinos is 18, while online is 21.
Rhode Island sports betting revenue
Rhode Island sports betting began in November 2018. Online sports betting began when Sportsbook Rhode Island began taking bets in 2019.
Since launch, residents have wagered $2.6 billion, and sportsbook operators have generated $222.1 million in sports betting revenue. The state has collected $113.3 million in taxes.
