Rhode Island Considers New Competition for Sports Betting

Rhode Island’s gambling scene is facing two separate debates—one about competition in sports betting and another over smoking inside casinos. Both touch on the future direction of gaming policy in the state and show how lawmakers are starting to respond to pressure from both consumers and workers.

Good to know

• Rhode Island’s sports betting market is currently locked into a single-operator deal with IGT.
• Lawmakers approved a smoking ban for casinos, with full enforcement set for 2027.
• Pressure from casino workers played a key role in changing workplace health laws.

Sports betting has been legal in Rhode Island since 2018, but the market has only had one player: IGT. The company secured a 20-year agreement with the Rhode Island Lottery, locking in exclusive rights until 2026. Now, that monopoly may finally face a challenge.

State Senator Frank Ciccone introduced Senate Bill 748 to open the market to private operators like FanDuel and DraftKings. The idea is to give Rhode Island bettors more options and increase potential revenue by inviting more companies to compete. While the bill cleared the state Senate, it has stalled in the House and is still sitting in committee.

If the House moves the bill forward, Rhode Island could align more closely with other states considering open sports betting markets. As Missouri, California, and Texas move toward legalizing or expanding sports wagering, Rhode Island might feel pressure to break its single-operator model once IGT’s deal runs out.

Casino Smoking Ban Another Hot Topic

On a different front, state lawmakers did move ahead with a casino smoking law. A bill backed by Rep. V. Susan Sosnowski extends the state’s smoke-free workplace rules to include casinos, closing a long-standing loophole. The law allows enclosed smoking lounges with separate ventilation systems so that smoke does not enter other areas. Bally’s Corporation, which owns both Twin River and Tiverton casinos, had initially opposed the proposal but accepted the compromise.

The final version of the bill delays full enforcement until July 1, 2027. That gives casinos time to adapt, but also signals a shift toward prioritizing employee health. Many workers at Twin River pushed hard for the change, saying the old rules put business over their well-being. Sosnowski, who helped write the original Public Health and Workplace Safety Act, stood firm, saying employee safety should not be negotiable.

In related news tied to IGT, Apollo Global Management has received final approval from the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) to move forward with its $6.3 billion acquisition of the combined gaming operations of IGT and Everi. The deal now clears the path for Apollo to take full control of the soon-to-merge entity, marking a major step in consolidating their presence in the gaming technology and casino services space.

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