States / Rhode Island / Sports betting
Is sports betting legal in Rhode Island?
Yes. In Rhode Island, online and in-person sports betting are legal (as of Oct 12, 2026). Online betting launched Jul 1, 2019; in-person betting Nov 2018. Operators pay 51% GGR in tax.
| Channel | Status | Launched | Model | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sports (online) | Live | Jul 1, 2019 | Monopoly State | Gov. Raimondo signed companion bills S 0037 Sub A and H 5241 Sub A (enacted March 25, 2019, as P.L. 2019 ch. 7 and ch. 8) authorizing mobile sports betting, effective July 1, 2019. Revenue is split by statute 51% to the state, 32% to the state's authorized sports-wagering vendor, and 17% to the host facilities (Twin River and Twin River-Tiverton). R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-61.2-5, § 42-61.2-16 (P.L. 2019, ch. 7 and ch. 8) [1],[2],[3] |
| Sports (retail) | Live | Nov 2018 | Monopoly State | Rhode Island's first sportsbook opened at Twin River (Lincoln) in November 2018, shortly after the legislature authorized sports wagering following Murphy v. NCAA; Gov. Gina Raimondo signed the enabling legislation in June 2018. Operated via the state's sports-wagering vendor (William Hill, later Bally Bet). R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-61.2-2.4, § 42-61.2-3.3 [1],[4] |
Tax rate
| Rate | Since | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 51% GGR (online) | Jul 1, 2019 | State's share only; statute: "To the state, fifty-one percent (51%)" of sports-wagering and online sports-wagering revenue.[2] |
| 51% GGR (retail) | Nov 2018 | Same statutory split applies to retail and online sports wagering.[2] |
Rules
- Minimum age to place a sports wager
- 21 · The same online gaming account used for mobile sports wagering requires a patron to be over 21.[5]?
- Wagering on college sports allowed at all
- Yes · Collegiate sporting events are included in the statutory definition of a wagerable "sporting event."[5]
- Wagering on in-state college teams allowed
- Yes · General wagering on Rhode Island college teams is not excluded by statute.[5]?
- Individual college player prop bets allowed
- Yes · Bets on an individual college athlete's performance statistics are generally allowed.[5]?
- Esports wagering allowed
- No · Esports is not included in the statutory definition of a wagerable "sporting event," though the division could authorize it under the definition's general catch-all for events it approves; it has not done so.[5]
- Online sports wagering available statewide (not tethered to premises)
- Yes · The single state-contracted vendor's mobile app is available anywhere in Rhode Island, not limited to on-premises play at the two facilities.[6]
- Number of online sportsbooks live as of as_of date
- 1 · Rhode Island uses a single state-contracted sports-wagering vendor (originally William Hill, now operating as Bally Bet), unlike competitive multi-operator states.[1]
- Summary of prop-bet restrictions (e.g. no in-game player props)
- Wagers on an individual athlete's performance statistics in a collegiate game are barred only when that game is part of a collegiate tournament held in Rhode Island, or a tournament a Rhode Island college team plays in; the division may also designate other prohibited events.[5]
Licensed sportsbooks
| Operator | Brand | Channel | Status | Launched |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bally's Corporation | Bally Bet (Rhode Island, online) | Sports (online) | pending | [7],[8] |
| IGT | Sportsbook RI / Sportsbook Rhode Island (online) | Sports (online) | active | Jul 1, 2019[9],[7] |
| IGT | Sportsbook RI / Sportsbook Rhode Island | Sports (retail) | active | Nov 2018[9],[7] |
All gambling laws in Rhode Island → · Sports betting in every state →
Sources
- Bally's Twin River Lincoln Casino Resort · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
secondary source only
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-61.2-5 — Allocation of sports-wagering and online sports-wagering revenue · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
- P.L. 2019, ch. 7 (S 0037 Substitute A) — Video-Lottery Games, Table Games and Sports Wagering · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-61.2-2.4 — State to conduct sports wagering hosted by Twin River and the Tiverton gaming facility · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-61.2-1 — Definitions · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-61.2-16 — General requirements for online sports wagering · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
- Rhode Island expands sports betting market with Bally's license · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
secondary source only; confirmed via search-result text on the May 2026 tentative award, the Nov. 26, 2026 earliest go-live date, and IGT's continued PlaySports contract through 2028.
- Bally's Becomes Rhode Island's 2nd Approved Online Sports Betting Operator · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
secondary source only; confirmed via search-result text.
- Bally's Twin River Lincoln Casino Resort · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
secondary source only