Rhode Island is preparing to launch a second online sports betting option after Bally’s won the state’s available mobile sportsbook licence. The new platform is expected to go live in November 2026, when IGT’s online exclusivity period ends. The Rhode Island Lottery selected Bally’s after a competitive process that drew only two bids. Rush Street Interactive, which operates BetRivers, was the other applicant.
Bally’s expands beyond retail betting
Bally’s already operates Rhode Island’s two casinos in Lincoln and Tiverton. Those venues also host the state’s retail sportsbooks.
The new licence gives Bally’s a direct online sports betting role in the state. Rhode Island bettors currently use Sportsbook Rhode Island, the online platform operated through the state’s existing lottery and IGT structure.
Bally’s selection means the state will move away from a single online sportsbook model. It also gives local bettors another mobile option without opening the market to a large group of national operators.
IGT deal delays launch
The second sportsbook cannot launch immediately because IGT’s current online exclusivity remains in place until late November 2026. Contract terms are still being finalised, including the exact launch date.
The agreement is expected to run for five years, with an option to extend for another five years. Bally’s will operate under Rhode Island’s lottery-controlled sports betting framework. Rhode Island’s model is different from larger competitive markets such as New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts. The state keeps tighter control over operators and revenue sharing.
High tax rate limited bidder interest
Rhode Island keeps 51% of online sports betting revenue, one of the highest state shares in the U.S. That structure has been named as one reason the licence attracted limited interest.
Under the new arrangement, Bally’s would keep the remaining 49% from its own online sportsbook. Previously, online revenue was split between the state, IGT and Bally’s retail role. Rhode Island generated about $26.7m in sports betting revenue from July 2025 through March 2026. The state received about $13.6m from that total.
Lottery keeps control of market
Rhode Island sports betting remains overseen by the state lottery. That means the second online sportsbook will still operate inside a controlled system rather than a fully open market. The model gives the state direct oversight of betting revenue, operator rules and platform approvals. Bally’s licence adds another online option, but Rhode Island will still have a much smaller operator field than most competitive sports betting states.
