Rhode Island Installs Betting Kiosks To Expedite Sportsbook Action

• Rhode Island is the first New England state with a legal sportsbook.
• Mobile betting will be the next addition to RI sports wagering.
• The state has earned over $600,000 in the first three months of legal sports betting.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Even though March Madness is here, Rhode Island has chosen to leave the madness out of their casinos by installing self-service sports wagering kiosks.

These machines will help expedite players engaging in betting on the second most popular sporting event and allow for the Twin River Casinos to increase their handle.

After being tested by the Rhode Island Department of Revenue, Twin River Lincoln installed 17 kiosks while the sister casino in Tiverton installed 5.

“The kiosks are in addition to the recent opening of our popular Sportsbook Bar and Grill in Lincoln on the second floor and the 17 staffed terminals at the combined properties,” said Craig Sculos, VP and GM of Twin River Casino Hotel.

Positioned all throughout the casino floor, gamblers will not have to venture to the lounge to submit action; however, the lounge has extended its hours for betting during the NCAA Tournament.

The Inclusion Of RI Mobile Sports Betting And Revenue

This was only one major announcement coming from the Rhode Island sports betting world, as the bill to approve a mobile betting platform in the state was approved last Tuesday.

Awaiting Governor Raimondo’s signature, SB0037 would permit players to wager within Rhode Island state lines, after signing up for an account at one of the Twin River locations.

The belief that Raimondo will sign the bill is likely due to the fact that she included revenue from mobile sports betting in the proposed budget.

With 2 full months of legal sports betting in the book, Rhode Island has brought in $612,000 in tax contributions thus far. Their near $33 million handle and $1,190,888 in revenue are both below expectations, but March Madness wagering is expected to boost those numbers.

In addition to March Madness, the inclusion of mobile sports betting is expected to generate an additional $8 million in tax revenue for the remainder of 2019. As states like New Jersey have seen roughly 80% of betting action occur online, Rhode Island’s numbers will likely follow suit.

Even with its expected passage, legislators have failed to provide a timeframe for when the online betting platform would be up and running for Rhode Island sports bettors.

News tags: Rhode Island | Rhode Island sports betting | Twin River casino