Rhode Island
Last Updated: 27 March, 2025
If getting sports betting legalized after PASPA was a race, Rhode Island would have at least gotten a medal. The Ocean State passed a sports betting bill just a month after the historic ruling, but it’s important to note that the state’s betting infrastructure is much different than most.
Legal and licensed apps:
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SPORTSBOOK | Must be 18+. No welcome bonus available. T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.
SOCIAL SPORTSBOOK | 18+. Skill-based peer-to-peer (P2P) wagering app. The $25 bonus is claimable by making a $50 first deposit and completing tasks such as joining Kutt's Discord and turning on app notifications. Full T&Cs apply.
SOCIAL/SWEEPSTAKES SPORTSBOOK | 18+. Bonus for all new customers: Use promo code GET25 when signing up to get 25 Onyx Cash when you spend your first $10 on the platform. T&Cs apply.
SOCIAL SPORTSBOOK | 18+. No real money betting is offered, and the app is intended only for entertainment purposes. T&Cs apply.
SOCIAL SPORTSBOOK & BETTING EXCHANGE | 19+. New customers get a daily Prophet Cash bonus for their first 30 days, equal to 2% of their first purchase's Prophet Cash volume. Max total bonus: 300 in Prophet Cash. Play-through requirement: 1X. T&Cs apply.
SOCIAL SPORTSBOOK & CASINO | 21+. Play-for-fun platform - for entertainment only. T&Cs apply.
DFS | 18+. Terms & conditions apply
DFS | 18+. The 20%/$500 first deposit bonus is for new customers only. Promo code SAVE must be used. Minimum 1st deposit required: $5. Play-through requirement: 25X. Further T&Cs apply.
DFS | 18+. Both pay-to-play and free roll (free-to-play) contests are available. All new users get a free starter pack after signing up. T&Cs apply.
All legal ways to bet on in Rhode Island
| Is online sports betting legal in Rhode Island? | Yes |
| Is in-person sports betting legal? | Yes |
| Is daily fantasy sports legal? | Yes |
| Is betting on college sports legal? | Yes (restricted) |
| Is horse racing betting legal? | Yes (online & in-person) |
| Is greyhound betting legal? | No |
| Is political betting legal? | No |
| Is eSports betting legal? | No |
It is common for bettors in northeastern states surrounding Rhode Island to be unable to wager on in-state college teams, and RI is no different. While betting on college sports is allowed, wagering on a University of Rhode Island basketball game, for example, is not.
Aside from in-state colleges, it is also illegal for bettors in the Ocean State to bet on politics and eSports. While there is only one legal mobile sportsbook available to bettors in RI, residents do have the option to use DFS apps or racebooks that are not related to Sportsbook Rhode Island.
Online sports betting in The Ocean State
The US Supreme Court overturned the Professional Sports and Amateur Sports Protection ACT in May 2018. By June of that same year, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo signed S2045 into law, allowing retail sports betting to launch in the state's two casinos.
Sports betting officially launched in Rhode Island in November 2018, thanks to the signing of S2045 into law. This bill allowed the state's two casinos to accept legal sports wagers and established the tax structure and how the revenue from sports betting would be divided among the state.
While allowing sports betting to be legalized so quickly was impressive, the state was still losing money due to the lack of volume in the market. As a result, lawmakers developed SB37, which called for the state’s lottery, which oversees the sports betting industry, to offer online sports betting.
This didn’t mean the lottery could start handing out licenses to online operators, as the state did not want the online betting operation to be a bidding process. Therefore, the RI Lottery worked closely with William Hill to create its own mobile sports betting app, Sportsbook Rhode Island.
Sportsbook Rhode Island won't blow anyone away compared to brand-name mobile betting apps. Still, its simple layout and live betting function will at least satisfy bettors throughout the state. This sportsbook has been the only game in town for quite a few years, and it does not look like that will change anytime soon.
All legal RI sports betting apps in 2025:
Sportsbook app | Launch date |
|---|---|
Sportsbook Rhode Island (William Hill) | September 4, 2019 |
Sports betting & gambling legislation in RI
No matter the size of the betting market in Rhode Island, bettors must adhere to the rules and regulations established by the Rhode Island Lottery. A key rule is that bettors must be 18 or older to place a wager. While lawmakers extensively debated remote registration, SB2919 and HB8097 ultimately clarified that bettors could create an account with Sportsbook Rhode Island from anywhere in the state.
Remote registration and the gambling age are just a few of the rules and regulations regarding sports betting that the Rhode Island Lottery oversees. The state lottery also withholds 5.99% of all gambling winnings for state tax purposes.
After addressing the issue of remote registration in 2020, the state remained stagnant on gambling-related topics until 2023, when Gov. Dan McKee signed Senate Bill 948 Sub B into law in June. This new gambling bill legalized iGaming, including online poker, in the Ocean State. The first online casino in Rhode Island, launched by Bally's Corporation, officially opened on March 5, 2024, and is accessible via both the iOS mobile app and desktop.
| Are online casinos legal in Rhode Island? | Yes |
| Are retail casinos legal? | Yes |
| Are social sportsbooks legal? | Yes |
| Are sweepstakes/social casinos legal? | Yes, social & sweepstakes casinos are legal |
| Is online poker legal? | Yes |
| Is the lottery legal? | Yes |
| The launch date of sports betting in Rhode Island? | November 26, 2018 |
| How many legal sports betting apps are there in RI? | 1 |
| How many legal retail betting sites are there in RI? | 2 |
| Is remote registration allowed? | Yes |
| Legal age for sports betting in Rhode Island? | 18+ |
| Rhode Island's tax rate for betting/gambling winnings | 5.99% |
| Who regulates sports betting in Rhode Island? | Rhode Island Lottery |
Turning Clam Cakes into Cash: Wagering on Rhode Island Food Contests
Rhode Island’s extrvagent seafood festivals, particularly those that celebrate clam cakes and chowder, could be just the market needed to bring for novelty betting to the state. Clam cake eating contests already attract large crowds, but introducing prop-style wagers, such as “most cakes eaten,” and “first to finish,” could enhance the excitement while increasing both engagement and revenue. With structured events and clear outcomes, these contests provide the groundwork necessary for legal, low-stakes betting.
Pairing these wagers with geofenced mobile apps or on-site kiosks would boost tourism and create new revenue streams without causing a massive shakeup to the betting infrastructure. Betting on clam cakes may seem lighthearted, but for Rhode Island, it could become a flavorful new frontier in cultural wagering, and become their version of the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.
Most recent updates from the RI sports betting & gambling scenes
December 3, 2024: Rhode Island will take on Mercer in the FCS playoffs, as the Rams are (+10.5) point underdogs.
November 20, 2024: The Rhode Island Rams have opened the season 3-0 in basketball. They are still (+10000) to win the A10 regular season title.
November 18, 2024: Rhode Island and 42 other states welcome Legendz, a social casino and sportsbook featuring props, parlays, and high RTP. Open to players 18+, free play and daily rewards are included.
November 8, 2024: The Rhode Island Rams football team will head to Delaware this weekend, where they are listed as (+10.5) point underdogs.
November 1, 2024: College basketball season is a few days away, and the Rhode Island Rams are currently (+2500) to become the A10 Regular Season Champs.
October 25, 2024: Rhode Island will host Maine this weekend in a game where they are listed as (-5.5) point favorites.
October 18, 2024: The Rhode Island Rams will head to New Hampshire this weekend to take on the Wildcats as (+3.5) point underdogs.
September 18, 2024: Coming off their second win of the season, the Rhode Island Rams will travel to LIU this upcoming weekend.
September 3, 2024: The Rhode Island Rams picked up a 20-17 win over Holy Cross in week one of the college football season. The Rams will now travel to Minnesota to take on the Golden Gophers.
In-person sports betting sites and locations
Retail sports betting in RI is limited to two locations, both of which are casinos run by Bally’s.
While horse racing is legal in the Ocean State, no racetracks or off-track betting locations exist. As a result, anyone interested in betting on horse racing must download and use a racebook offered to the state, like TVG.
Retail Sportsbook | Location |
|---|---|
Bally’s Twin River Casino Resort | 100 Twin River Rd, Lincoln |
Bally’s Tiverton Casino & Hotel | 777 Tiverton Casino Blvd, Tiverton |
From shore to sportbooks: Betting legality while sailing in RI
Rhode Island is also referred to as the Ocean State, with miles of scenic coastline and a rich maritime culture. But could this notoriety for the sea extend to sports betting? If a bettor is on a yacht, sailboat, or chartered fishing vessel just off the Rhode Island coast, could they still legally place a wager?
The answer depends on geolocation tracking. Rhode Island’s mobile sportsbooks require bettors to be within state lines, which means as long as a boat remains in Rhode Island’s territorial waters, betting should remain possible if there is cell service. However, if the vessel drifts beyond state lines, bettors could face legal gray areas where federal or international waters apply.
The heavy boating culture in the state opens an intriguing opportunity for offshore betting experiences. Sportsbooks could partner with chartered yacht services, offering betting lounges where guests can place wagers while sailing past scenic Newport or Narragansett Bay. Promotions could provide exclusive odds and betting packages for bettors enjoying Rhode Island’s maritime lifestyle.
By integrating betting into tourism with mobile sports betting, Rhode Island could expand its gambling market, attract more gamblers, and create a one-of-a-kind waterfront sportsbook experience that is unique to the Ocean State.
Sports betting in neighboring states
Residents tired of the limited betting options in Rhode Island can cross the state’s border to find a vast sports betting market in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
To read more about what sportsbooks are available in both CT and MA, click on their name in the info box below.
| State | Online sports betting | Retail sports betting | DFS | Horse Race betting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | Legal | Legal | Legal | Legal |
| Massachusetts | Legal | Legal | Legal | Legal |
| New York | Legal | Legal | Legal | Legal |
Sports betting revenue impact on Rhode Island's economy
Information regarding the sports betting license fee in Rhode Island is not available. For what it's worth, it is unlikely the state will hand out any more licenses for the time being anyway, as the Ocean State seems complacent with its current retail and online operators. Rhode Island has one of the highest tax rates in the country, at 51%. New Hampshire has the same rate, which makes sense since both states monopolize mobile sports betting.
Rhode Island's current sports betting infrastructure limits its earning potential. Only one mobile sportsbook and two retail betting locations certainly won't yield a high monthly handle or revenue, which the state has shown by averaging around $39 million worth of placed real-money wagers and $3 million in revenue a month.
Rhode Island is one of three states with a monopoly in their sports betting infrastructure, and if these states do well in one area, it is tax revenue. With the high tax rate for operators, RI has made over $107 million in tax income since legalizing sports betting, which is more than some states with a complete market of mobile betting apps and retail facilities.
Rhode Island sports betting record months:
Sports betting handle: January 2023 ($62,317,384)
Revenue: November 2021 ($6,703,144)
Tax income: November 2021 ($3,418,603)
Latest RI sports betting revenue report breakdown (January 2025)
Reported by the Rhode Island Lottery.
Total betting handle: $47,358,801
Mobile betting handle: $39,144,841
Retail betting handle: $8,213,960
Placed retail wagers at Twin River Casino: $6,177,183
Placed retail wagers at Tiverton Casino: $2,036,777
Winnings paid to players: $42,283,874
Hold: 10.72%
Gross revenue: $5,074,927
Tax revenue for the state (51% of gross revenue): $2,588,212
Recent revenue report data - Compared to the previous year (YoY)
Report | Total handle | Mobile handle | Gross revenue | Taxes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
January 2025 | $47,358,801 | $39,144,841 | $5,074,927 | $2,588,212 |
January 2024 | $44,808,686 | $34,843,880 | $4,999,921 | $2,549,960 |
YoY change | Up 5.69% | Up 12.34% | Up 1.5% | Up 1.5% |
RI sports betting revenue in 2025
The total monthly handle, revenue, and tax figures Rhode Island has gained for 2025 are presented below. The percentages in brackets indicate the change compared to the previous month.
Month | Handle (MoM) | Revenue (MoM) | Tax income |
|---|---|---|---|
Mar. 2025 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Feb. 2025 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Jan. 2025 | $47,358,801 | $5,074,927 | $2,588,212 |
2025 Total YTD | $47,358,801 | $5,074,927 | $2,588,212 |
2024 revenue data
Month | Handle (MoM) | Revenue (MoM) | Tax income |
|---|---|---|---|
Dec. 2024 | $50,375,014 (-0.54%) | $1,325,319 (-73.54%) | $675,913 |
Nov. 2024 | $50,647,990 (2.51%) | $5,008,203 (146.43%) | $2,554,184 |
Oct. 2024 | $49,404,162 (13.30%) | $2,118,202 (-59.82%) | $1,080,283 |
Sept. 2024 | $43,604,786 (53.69%) | $5,272,056 (182.82%) | $2,688,749 |
Aug. 2024 | $28,371,561 (14.18%) | $1,864,079 (-31.56%) | $950,680 |
Jul. 2024 | $24,848,015 (-24.73%) | $2,723,789 (2.22%) | $1,389,382 |
Jun. 2024 | $33,010,501 (-11.39%) | $2,664,593 (-20.31%) | $1,358,942 |
May 2024 | $37,252,539 (-1.21%) | $3,343,552 (21.99%) | $1,705,212 |
Apr. 2024 | $37,709,038 (-16.01%) | $2,740,781 (-11.68%) | $1,397,798 |
Mar. 2024 | $44,895,394 (15.83%) | $3,103,076 (7.44%) | $1,582,569 |
Feb. 2024 | $38,758,578 (-13.50%) | $2,888,343 (-42.23%) | $1,473,055 |
Jan. 2024 | $44,808,686 (-6.46%) | $4,999,921 (20.57%) | $2,549,960 |
2024 Total | $483,686,264 | $38,051,914 | $19,406,727 |
Yearly revenue totals
Year | Handle (YoY) | Revenue (YoY) | Tax income (YoY) |
|---|---|---|---|
2025 YTD | $47,358,801 | $5,074,927 | $2,588,212 |
2024 | $483,686,264 (4.86%) | $38,051,914 (-5.53%) | $19,406,727 (-5.53%) |
2023 | $461,283,426 (-13.39%) | $40,277,816 (-18.30%) | $20,541,685 (-18.30%) |
2022 | $532,609,814 (17.20%) | $49,298,062 (27.22%) | $25,142,028 (27.22%) |
2021 | $454,457,990 (104.79%) | $38,751,496 (61.01%) | $19,763,262 (61.01%) |
2020 | $221,916,076 (-9.72%) | $24,067,477 (35.16%) | $12,274,913 (28.73%) |
2019 | $245,811,496 (1685.03%) | $17,806,696 (1627.28%) | $9,535,630 (1713.67%) |
2018 | $13,770,713 | $1,030,910 | $525,764 |
TOTALS | $2,460,894,580 | $214,359,298 | $109,778,221 |
Rhode Island’s sports betting revenue: Where does the money go?
Since legalizing sports betting in 2018, Rhode Island has relied on a state-controlled model that allocates a significant portion of betting revenue into public funds. Unlike states that allow competing sportsbooks, Rhode Island operates through a single-operator system, or a monopoly, where the state lottery oversees all sports betting operations, ensuring a higher percentage of profits are funneled directly into state programs.
A hefty portion of sports betting tax revenue is allocated to the state’s general fund, which helps support various public services, including education, healthcare, and infrastructure renovations. However, because Rhode Island is a small market, its total sports betting revenue is significantly lower than other prominent East Coast states, such as PA or NJ.
Despite generating millions annually, some experts argue that Rhode Island could increase revenue by allowing more competition in the market, much like the surrounding states do. As sports betting continues to grow, future legislative discussions could potentially explore the idea of expanding the number of sportsbooks, which could drive up tax contributions and provide additional funding for public projects.
Rhode Island - Some commonly asked questions (FAQ):
Are there any legal restrictions in RI’s sports betting landscape?
The most significant restriction to Rhode Island’s sports betting market is that there is only one mobile betting app available in the state due to a monopoly.
How much tax revenue has Rhode Island generated from sports betting?
Rhode Island has one of the highest tax rates for sports betting in the country at 51%, and as a result, as of March 2025, the state has made over $109 million in tax revenue from legal wagering.
What is the most popular sports franchise amongst Rhode Island residents?
Since RI is not the home to any pro sports teams, the most popular pro team in the state is the Boston Red Sox. A big reason for this is that the Red Sox Triple-A team plays in RI.
What is the biggest case of illegal gambling in RI?
Seventeen individuals were arrested back in 2016 due to their involvement in an illegal gambling ring being run out of Rhode Island. Two of those individuals were former professional baseball players.
