Rhode Island’s gambling regulators are considering replacing the state’s sports betting monopoly with a competitive market composed of several top operators, including FanDuel and DraftKings.
Key Takeaways
- IGT has maintained a monopoly over the state’s sports betting market since 2019.
- Bally’s confirmed it is interested in expanding to Rhode Island.
- Proponents of expansion believe it will help retain money being lost to neighboring states.
The Rhode Island Lottery submitted a Request for Information (RFI) earlier in the summer. One of the companies that responded was International Game Technology (IGT), which maintains the state’s exclusive right to sports betting operations through next November, according to the Rhode Island Current.
IGT has managed the Sportsbook RI app since it launched in 2019. It has received mixed feedback and was criticized on the first Sunday of the 2025 NFL season when its app went offline for 75 minutes.
IGT moved its operational focus to Las Vegas in 2024 following its acquisition by Apollo Global Management Inc.
Bally’s, BetMGM, DraftKings, Fanatics, FanDuel, Kambi, and OpenBet also responded to the RFI.
Depending on the nature of the responses, Rhode Island could extend requests for proposals to the interested companies later this month, Lottery spokesperson Paul Grimaldi said.
“(The) Lottery is moving ahead with its examination of whether adding more apps is feasible,” Grimaldi told the Rhode Island Current.
Sportsbooks eyeing entry
The responses to the RFI’s weren’t released publicly, though several companies responded to the Rhode Island Current's requests for comment.
Bally’s spokesperson Patti Doyle said the company, based in Providence, has an interest in launching a Rhode Island sportsbook.
Kevin Hennessey, a spokesperson for Fanatics, said his company "publicly supports an open and competitive market in Rhode Island for legal sports betting."
DraftKings spokesperson Parker Winslow did not comment specifically on Rhode Island but said the company is constantly looking for opportunities to expand. Notably, DraftKings supported legislation introduced in March that would’ve allowed for three-to-five operators to enter the state market. That bill made it out of the Senate but never reached the House floor. A House companion bill failed to make it out of its committee.
Sharing the wealth
Proponents of sports betting expansion strongly believe that a regulator change would help retain money that is being lost to nearby states Massachusetts and Connecticut.
According to revenue reports for August, Massachusetts generated $55.8 million in gross gaming revenue from seven sportsbooks, while Connecticut produced $13.2 million from three sportsbooks.
Rhode Island sports betting came up with just under $3 million from its one platform.
