Bally's will be the second sportsbook to operate in Rhode Island after it received the lone available online sports betting license available in The Ocean State.
Rhode Island is an interesting state when it comes to legalized sports betting. Currently, sports betting in Rhode Island operates through the Rhode Island Lottery and IGT, and bettors can either wager in person at one of two approved casinos or through the Sportsbook Rhode Island betting app, which IGT operates. With Bally's joining the mix, Rhode Island bettors will have another option when it comes to mobile sports betting.
Interestingly enough, Bally's was one of just two sportsbooks to apply for this online sports betting license in Rhode Island, edging out BetRivers. It is expected that Rhode Island bettors will be able to bet online through Bally's starting this November, which is when the exclusive element of IGT's Rhode Island contract ends.
"There was a thorough review process," Lottery Deputy Director Michael O'Rourke told NBC 10 earlier this month. "There was a hope we'd get more companies to reply, but they didn't,"
Other top sportsbooks like DraftKings and FanDuel do not operate in Rhode Island, and they did not apply for this license. Rhode Island imposes a 51% gaming tax on sportsbooks – the highest in the country. That, plus Rhode Island having one of the smallest populations in the country at just over 1 million, are reasons why the state received applications from just two companies.
The state decided to seek out another sportsbook for a few reasons. One, of course, is to generate more revenue through sports betting taxes. The state's betting handle in March was down almost 30% from March of 2025. Additionally, having more sportsbook options could help the state keep bettors in Rhode Island rather than going to neighboring states like Massachusetts to place wagers. Massachusetts has seven legal mobile sportsbooks and multiple retail casino sportsbooks.
Bally's has already had a sports betting presence in Rhode Island, which is likely part of why the sportsbook was selected for this online sports betting license over BetRivers. Bally's operates the only two casinos with in-person sportsbooks in Rhode Island.
Bally's is set to take 49% of revenue generated through its online sportsbook -- up from the 17% of sportsbook revenue it had been receiving -- while the state will receive the other 51% in taxes. There was $26.7 million in sports betting revenue generated in Rhode Island between last July and the end of March 2026, from which the state received roughly $13.6 million.
