Sports Betting Arrives in New England were first posted after sports betting opened. The smallest state in the country, Rhode Island, was the eighth state to approve legalized sports betting on November 23, 2018.

I expanded the article to include all phases of Rhode Island’s approved legalized sports betting, including mobile wagering.

When Twin River first opened legal sports wagering, NETimeGambling.com visited Twin River Casino & Hotel to get a first-hand look.

The Opening

At 3:00 pm EST, Speaker of the House Nicholas Mattiello, Senate President Dominic Ruggerio, and John Taylor, executive chairman of Twin River Worldwide Holdings Inc., placed the first bets, marking the opening of the Twin River Casino sports wagering. It would be three more years before Twin River would be rebranded as Ballys Twin River Hotel Casino Lincoln.

Think again if you’re thinking of Vegas sportsbooks, like Caesars or Westgate. It’s more like Golden Gate downtown.

Tiverton, Hotel & Casino, as well as Twin River Lincoln Hotel Casino, are now a part of the Bally’s Empire. Twin River Worldwide Holdings Inc’s other RI casino will go live with a sportsbook sometime next month. Unfortunately, the Tiverton Casino sportsbook is very small.

The idea is to start ASAP and get ahead of other New England casinos. Twin River’s setup was temporary. “Phase 1” is located in the simulcast wagering area on the third floor. Staff told me the “Phase 1” area would be kept open after completing the sportsbook.

To start with, only Twin River and Tiverton will accept wagering. However, online wagering is part of the plan. The next phase will be to complete the actual sportsbook area.

Jeff Moony, the Staff Writer at the Providence Journal, wrote, “Rhode Island will be poised to go online whenever lawmakers are ready. IGT and William Hill power Rhode Island sports wagering. IGT is behind computer technology, while William Hill is setting the lines.”

A Few Points

• The State of Rhode Island takes 51% of the sports betting revenue at the start
• 32% goes to IGT as vendor operations
• Only 17% of the revenue generated by sports betting goes to Twin River.
• Twin River takes wagers on Pro sports and college games, but Rhode Island colleges are unavailable for wagering.
• Only pre-game betting is available. In-game betting will only be ready when mobile online wagering is in place.

Rhode Island Sports Betting – Mobile Betting

The state debuted retail sports betting in 2018 without online/mobile gambling. Sports betting revenue increased after the Rhode Island legislature and Rhode Island Lottery rescinded in-person registration. Mobile registration is now possible.

Mobile sports wagering platforms launched in early September of 2019 and helped profits rise beyond 2019 for the gambling industry. The Rhode Island Lottery recently released its revenue report, showing a 171% increase from 2019 to 2020. A combined (mobile and retail) $200.2 million bet on sporting events resulted in a 56% growth from 2019.

Related Post – Bally’s Corporation Continues Expanding Brand

General Information

		Rhode Island
Timeline		Rhode Island became the eighth state to legalize sports betting on 11/21/18. As a result, twin River Casino opened the first sportsbook in New England.
Betting Options		IGT and William Hill powered the Sportsbook Rhode Island mobile app and website.
Legal Age		The only legal requirements are that you are at least 18 years old, inside state lines, and not on a self-exclusion list. ** (See below)
Betting Restrictions		Wagering is not allowed on “any collegiate sports or athletic event that takes place in RI or a sports contest or athletic event in which any Rhode Island college team participates, regardless of where the event takes place.”

But Wait, There’s More

Who Oversees Sports Betting?		The Rhode Island Lottery is charged with regulation and oversight of the industry. IGT functions as a lottery partner and casino, helping to operate sports betting. As such, sports betting tax revenue is split as follows: State: 51 percent IGT: 32 percent Casino: 17 percent
Additional Wagering Options		Simulcast wagering on races occurring throughout North America is available at the state’s two casinos, and online wagering is permitted through sites such as TVG, BetAmerica, and TwinSpires. In addition, twin River Hotel and Casino and Tiverton Hotel and Casino provide Las Vegas Class III gaming owned by Bally’s Corporation.
Can I Set Betting Limits?		Setting betting limits for Rhode Island online and on-site sports betting is possible at one of the two brick-and-mortar casinos. Check the online casino rules or the brick-and-mortar casino rules and regulations for the specific rules around betting limits.
Website		SportsBook Rhode Island

2023 Update

• Mobile sports betting is now legal in Rhode Island; however, one mobile sportsbook is operating within the state. Caesars is an operating company that provides services on a sports betting platform IGT. Retail sports betting is also available at both casinos within the state.
• Rhode Island only has one mobile sportsbook available. William Hill provides the odds, and IGT provides the user interface. 
• ** Legal mobile sports betting launched in Rhode Island on March 12th, 2019. You must be 21+ years of age and physically in the state (verifiable by your mobile device’s geolocation tech or a downloadable desktop plugin) to place wagers from your phone.
• Sports you can bet on include all the major American league sports (NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS, NHL) and more, such as European basketball leagues, cricket, and rugby.
• Fantasy sports is available in Rhode Island as well. 

Summary

Mobile sports betting in Rhode Island has a long way to go. Even though it is legal, consumers do not have a lot of options when it comes to the books that are available to them. Currently, Rhode Island offers mobile and retail sports betting as well as daily fantasy. There is a lot of work to be done in order to get sports betting up to speed with neighboring states like New York and New Jersey.

On your mark, get set – BET!

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Binbin