Rhode Island has some of the widest legal online gambling in the US for a state its size: Lottery-run sports betting, a licensed online casino and horse racing through ADW apps. Here is what’s legal, who runs it, and how each product works.
Rhode Island legalized sports betting early, back in 2018, but built it as a state-run service rather than an open market. For years a single app, Sportsbook Rhode Island (run by IGT on behalf of the Rhode Island Lottery), was the only legal option. That is now changing: in May 2026 the Lottery selected Bally’s for a second online license, with a Bally Bet app targeted for November 2026. Rhode Island is also one of the few states with legal online casino play.
In this article 17 sections
- Rhode Island gambling: the key facts
- Is sports betting legal in Rhode Island?
- What can you play in Rhode Island?
- A small, tightly controlled market
- The sportsbooks available in Rhode Island
- Online casino in Rhode Island
- Popular bets and teams
- Bet types and how to start
- Is it safe?
- Deposits, withdrawals and payouts
- Taxes on your winnings
- How to spot a legal app
- Betting as a visitor
- Rhode Island betting: a brief history
- How we rate Rhode Island sportsbooks
- Responsible gambling in Rhode Island
- Rhode Island gambling in 2027
Rhode Island gambling: the key facts
| Quick facts | Rhode Island |
|---|---|
| Online sports betting | Yes, state-run, since September 4, 2019 |
| Retail sports betting | Yes, at both Bally’s casinos, since November 26, 2018 |
| Legal age | 18+ sports betting; 21+ online casino |
| Regulator | Rhode Island Lottery |
| Online sportsbooks | Sportsbook Rhode Island (IGT); Bally Bet selected May 2026 |
| Remote registration | Yes, since July 28, 2020 |
| In-state college betting | Prohibited |
| Online casinos | Yes, Bally Casino, since March 5, 2024 |
| State share of sports revenue | 51% |
| Problem gambling helpline | 1-877-942-6253 |
Is sports betting legal in Rhode Island?
Yes. Retail betting launched at Bally’s Twin River in Lincoln on November 26, 2018, with Tiverton following, and online wagering followed on September 4, 2019 under the Lottery. The market has run as a single-operator system controlled by the state, with revenue split 51% to the state, 32% to IGT as the online operator and 17% to Bally’s retail. A long-running effort to add competition finally succeeded when Bally’s won the second license in 2026, beating the only other applicant, BetRivers parent Rush Street Interactive.
Our Rhode Island sportsbooks guide covers both apps, the college rules and how the Bally Bet launch changes the market.
What can you play in Rhode Island?
- Sports betting: legal online and at retail through the Lottery, 18+. Wagering on in-state college teams, or any college game played in Rhode Island, is prohibited.
- Online casino: legal through Bally Casino, 21+, with slots and live-dealer tables. See our Rhode Island online casino guide.
- Horse racing: pari-mutuel betting through ADW apps that accept Rhode Island customers. See our Rhode Island horse betting guide.
- Sweepstakes casinos: no state ban as of mid-2026, but none of our sweepstakes partners accepts Rhode Island players.
- Prediction markets: federally regulated exchanges such as Kalshi are available; see below.
- Lottery: the Rhode Island Lottery sells draw games and scratch tickets.
A small, tightly controlled market
Rhode Island’s 51% revenue share is one of the highest in the country, and it is the reason national brands like DraftKings and FanDuel never bid for the market: the economics simply did not work for them. The single-operator structure means odds and promotions have historically lagged competitive states. The arrival of a second operator should add some pressure on pricing and product, but this remains a state-managed market, not an open one.
It is also a shrinking one for now. Bettors wagered about $430 million in 2025, and monthly handle in the first half of 2026 ran well below 2025 levels: July 2026 came in at $21.7 million, according to Lottery figures.
The sportsbooks available in Rhode Island
We do not partner with the operators serving Rhode Island, so you will not see an American.Bet welcome offer on this page, and we would rather tell you that plainly than point you somewhere we cannot stand behind. The legal options are the Lottery’s Sportsbook Rhode Island and the incoming Bally Bet. Both are legitimate, state-regulated products.
Online casino in Rhode Island
Rhode Island became the seventh state with legal real-money online casino when Bally’s launched on March 5, 2024, under Senate Bill 948. Bally’s offers regulated slots and live-dealer tables to players 21 and older who are physically in the state, with table games streamed from a roughly $5 million studio inside the Lincoln casino. As with sports betting, it is a single operator tied to the state’s casinos rather than a competitive iGaming market, and the tax is steep: 61% on slot revenue and 15.5% on table games.
Popular bets and teams
Rhode Island sits in New England sports country: the Patriots, Celtics, Bruins and Red Sox draw the most action, with Providence College basketball a local college favorite. Remember that betting on in-state college teams is off the table under Rhode Island rules, so Friars games at the Amica Mutual Pavilion are a watch-only affair.
Bet types and how to start
New to betting in Rhode Island? The staples are straightforward. The moneyline is the simplest: a straight pick of the winner, say the Patriots to win outright. A point spread evens out a mismatch by handicapping the favorite, while a total asks only whether the combined score clears a line. From there bettors build parlays (several legs, all must win), same-game parlays from a single Celtics game, season-long futures, and live in-play markets that move as the Bruins play.
Getting started takes minutes: confirm you are 18+ and physically in Rhode Island, choose a licensed app, and register with real details so identity checks clear. Deposit, set your limits before your first wager, and read any promotion’s terms before opting in.
Is it safe?
Yes. Because the market is run by the Rhode Island Lottery, oversight is direct, player funds are protected and age and identity checks apply. The main caution is the usual one: avoid unlicensed offshore sites.
Deposits, withdrawals and payouts
Legal Rhode Island apps support the usual cashier options, including debit cards, online banking and ACH transfers, PayPal and cash at the casino cage. Most deposits are instant. Withdrawals back to PayPal or online banking are usually the fastest, often clearing within hours to a couple of days once your identity is verified. Your first withdrawal usually triggers a one-time identity (KYC) check, so a clear photo of your ID avoids delays.
Taxes on your winnings
The headline Rhode Island rates you see quoted (51% on sports, 61% on online slots) are paid by the operator, not by you. Separately, gambling winnings are taxable income at the federal level and under Rhode Island income tax. From the 2026 tax year the federal W-2G reporting threshold rose to $2,000, and losses are deductible only at 90% of their value, capped at your winnings. Keep your own record of wins and losses, and treat a tax professional’s advice as the last word.
How to spot a legal app
A legal Rhode Island sportsbook is authorized by the Lottery, runs geolocation to confirm you are physically in Rhode Island, enforces the age minimum (18 for sports, 21 for online casino), and verifies your identity at sign-up. If an app lets you register from anywhere with no ID check and no location lock, it is almost certainly an unlicensed offshore site. Names like Bovada, BetOnline and MyBookie are not regulated in Rhode Island or anywhere in the US; they carry no state consumer protections and can be slow or unwilling to pay.
Betting as a visitor
Yes. You can bet as a visitor if you are physically in Rhode Island and meet the age minimum (18 for sports, 21 for online casino). Geolocation enforces the boundary.
Rhode Island betting: a brief history
Rhode Island legalized retail betting in 2018 and online betting in 2019 as a state-run service, allowed remote registration in 2020, added legal online casino through Bally’s in 2024, and approved a second sportsbook operator in 2026, slowly loosening one of the country’s tightest markets. Its racing history runs deeper: Narragansett Park in Pawtucket hosted Seabiscuit and War Admiral before closing in 1978.
How we rate Rhode Island sportsbooks
For each Rhode Island book we confirm it is authorized in the state, then judge how competitive its pricing is, how stable the app stays, how deep its markets run, and how quickly withdrawals land. We read promotion terms in full (wagering requirements, minimum odds and expiry windows) and confirm the responsible-gambling tools players rely on are in place. Our review methodology explains the process.
Responsible gambling in Rhode Island
Keep betting in proportion: it is entertainment, and your stake should be money you can afford to lose. Use the limit, time-out and self-exclusion controls every licensed Rhode Island app provides, and set them up front rather than mid-streak. Help is free and confidential at the Rhode Island problem gambling helpline, 1-877-942-6253, or 1-800-GAMBLER nationally.
Rhode Island gambling in 2027
Two sportsbooks, finally
Bally’s targeted November 2026 for its Bally Bet launch, when IGT’s exclusivity ends. 2027 is the first full year with two legal apps, under a contract running at least five years.
Belmont and the Breeders’ Cup next door
The Belmont Stakes returns to the rebuilt Belmont Park on Long Island in 2027, and the Breeders’ Cup follows there in the fall, two big betting events within driving distance.
Prediction market court fights
Federal appeals courts are still deciding whether states can regulate sports event contracts on CFTC-registered exchanges. Rulings in 2027 could decide whether Kalshi-style sports contracts stay available in Rhode Island.
Are prediction markets like Kalshi available in Rhode Island?
Yes. Kalshi and similar exchanges operate under the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission rather than Rhode Island gambling law. Several states are fighting that position in court, and appeals continue, so treat them as a separate, federally regulated product. See our prediction markets guide.
Are sweepstakes casinos legal in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island had not passed a sweepstakes ban as of mid-2026, and brands such as Chumba and LuckyLand use a dual-currency model designed to sit outside state gambling licensing. None of our sweepstakes partners accepts Rhode Island players, and these sites carry weaker safeguards than the licensed Bally Casino.
Is daily fantasy sports (DFS) legal in Rhode Island?
DFS is available to Rhode Island players under its own rules, distinct from sports betting. The main names are DraftKings and FanDuel, with PrizePicks, Underdog and Sleeper offering the player-pick format.
Can I bet in Rhode Island if I'm only visiting?
Yes. You can bet as a visitor if you are physically in Rhode Island and meet the age minimum (18 for sports, 21 for online casino).
What's the legal gambling age in Rhode Island?
18 for sports betting, the lottery and the casino floors; 21 for online casino play.
Can I bet on Rhode Island college teams?
No. Rhode Island prohibits betting on in-state college teams or any college game played in the state, but you can bet other college matchups.