Last updated on: September 3rd, 2024
Best Legal Rhode Island Sports Betting Apps + Sportsbooks In 2024
Legal Rhode Island sports betting launched officially in November 2018 after the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. Since then, the two Rhode Island casinos – Twin River Casino & Hotel and Tiverton Casino Hotel – host legal Rhode Island sports betting for all residents. They both offer legal sports betting via straight bets, live in-game betting, props, spreads, totals, futures bets, and parlays with excellent service from the attentive venue cashiers. However, Rhode Island sports betting sites are the primary way many bet. Betting lines for some of the biggest sporting events of the year, such as the Super Bowl or March Madness, are readily available at the best RI sportsbook apps 2024. To find the sports betting sites that accept Rhode Island players, continue reading our guide.
- Sports betting launched in Rhode Island in November 2018.
- Regulated sportsbooks are only available at the two tribal casinos.
- Legal sports betting sites allow for statewide mobile betting in Rhode Island.
- Licensed sportsbooks accepting RI players are available in and out of the state.
| Rank | Sportsbook | Bonus Offer | Play Now |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Exclusive 50% Bonus Code up to $1000!Read Review | BVD1000 in Cashier |
| 2 |  |
50% Up To $1,000Read Review | Visit BetOnline! |
| 3 |  |
50% Up To $1,000 Read Review | Visit MyBookie! |
| 4 |  |
100% Up To $300Read Review | Visit Xbet! |
| 5 |  |
50% Up To $1,000 Read Review | Visit SportsBetting! |
Is Bovada Legal In Rhode Island?
Despite having two sports betting apps in Rhode Island, players can also entertain themselves at Bovada. Using Bovada in Rhode Island is legal as the sportsbook accepts players and has a long history of positive play. Bovada is a great way to shop lines, finding the best betting value on the Providence Friars or whatever team you’re betting on.
#1
Bovada Sportsbook
The Leading Online Sportsbook For Rhode Island Bettors
Bovada is an outstanding online sportsbook for bettors in Rhode Island, and one of the best available across the country. You can wager on nearly anything at Bovada, from politics to the Super Bowl to horse racing and more. This makes them a top option for anyone looking to bet on anything in Rhode Island.
Rating: 
- Legal In Rhode Island
- Great Customer Service
- Competitive Bonuses
- Live Betting
- Mobile Betting
#2
BetOnline Sportsbook
Tons of Prop Bets
BetOnline is a sportsbook that focuses on providing good odds and letting you customize your experience. Their odds are always good, they accept a huge variety of cryptocurrency options, you can change what their sportsbook looks like to you, and you can even customize your own wagers with their bet building tool.
Rating:
- Reliable Banking Methods
- Strong Server Connection
- 10+ Year Track Record
- Huge Assortment Of Odds
- No App Mobile Betting
#3
MyBookie Sportsbook
Biggest New Player Bonus!
MyBookie is a great online sportsbook for people who like to have fun with sports betting. They often offer wagers that are focused on pop culture events, such as celebrity gossip and appearances. You can wager on a ton of different things at MyBookie, which makes them a great option in RI.
Ratings:
- Huge Player Bonuses
- Consistent Odds
- Easy Interface
- Rapid Live Betting
- Legal In Rhode Island
#4
XBet Sportsbook
Easiest Sportsbook To Use
XBet is a very reasonable online sportsbook that can be used to shop lines on sports as well as to compare the more off-the-wall wagers that you find at MyBookie or Bovada with a second sportsbook. You’ll be able to wager on anything from sports to politics when you use XBet, and that makes them a top sports betting option in Rhode Island.
Ratings:
- Worry-free Legal Betting
- Exclusive Bonus Offers
- Constantly Updated Odds
- Premier User Experience
- Full Mobile + Live Betting
#5
SportsBetting Sportsbook
Trusted Rhode island Betting Site
SportsBetting is the simplest online sportsbook around. Their website is simply a big bookie sheet, and you just navigate through and pick the bets you want to place. This makes them easy to use, but they aren’t particularly pretty when you do it. Basically, the more serious you are about sports betting, the better SportsBetting is.
Ratings:
- Efficient Site Layout
- Full Mobile Betting Suite
- Available Customer Service
- Trustworthy Banking Options
- Fast Payout Times
Rhode Island Sports Betting And Gambling Laws
There are numerous state laws regarding what is and what is not legal gambling in Rhode Island, and the barred forms of betting used to vastly outnumber what was considered legal. Rhode Island General Laws § 11-19-1, which dated back all the way back to 1896, prohibited any individual from “directly or indirectly” engaging in the business of any kind of gambling, which state law classified as lotteries or games of chance “of any nature or kind whatsoever” by which money or things of value, including property, could be won.
However, this all changed in 2018 when legislators made the appropriate changes to state laws and put regulations in place to build a sports betting industry in Rhode Island by approving Senate Bill 2045. This allows for only two licenses in the state, which were given to the Twin River casinos. IGT is the operator of these books and was surprisingly the only bidder to seek a service contract from Twin Rivers.
Where is Sports Betting Legal?
Rhode Island Sports Betting Timeline
- 2024: On Match 1st, Bally Casino became the first locally regulated casino app to launch in RI.
- 2023: Gov. Dan McKee passed SB948 to regulate a local online casino market.
- 2022: The status quo in Rhode Island remains the same, as the state is content to keep their sportsbook operations at the level they are at for the near future at least. Handles continue to be high – their second highest handle of all time happened in Jan 2021 – and while revenue does tend to dip in non-NFL months, it’s nothing that Rhode Island isn’t used to by now. One sad note: Tom Brady came out of retirement to haunt Rhode Island sportsbooks once again.
- 2021: Super Bowl 55 reveals that Rhode Island’s sportsbooks biggest liability might be Tom Brady. Revenue for the month of February decreased by 35%. “This is an occurrence in sports betting,” said Mark Furcolo, Director of the Rhode Island State Lottery Commission. “You will have games that you win on and games that you lose on in the sports book.” The state paid out more than $1 million in wagers on the underdog Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Amazingly, this also happened in 2019, when the Brady-led New England Patriots cost Rhode Island $2.35 million by beating the LA Rams.
- 2020: Sportsbook Rhode Island receives a makeover during the COVID-19 pandemic, which makes online betting easier. Sen. Dominick Ruggerio sponsors HB 8097 and SB 2919 in an attempt to remove the in-person registration requirement. “Gaming is our third-largest source of revenue in Rhode Island and it’s been affected by the COVID-19 virus,” said Ruggerio. “We are trying to get back as much revenue as we possibly can and we feel that this is a way to do it to encourage people to subscribe to the app without having to go to a facility physically.”
- 2019: Online sports betting in Rhode Island sees an expansion with S 37. The measure quickly moved through the legislature, passing the Senate in February and the House in March. Governor Gina Raimondo signed the measure shortly after, allowing the William Hill sportsbook app known as Sportsbook Rhode Island to accept Rhode Island bets from anywhere within Rhode Island’s border.
- 2018: PASPA is repealed and Rhode Island holds their first post-PASPA sports betting law discussion. S 2045 advances, ending with Governor Gina Raimondo signing the measure in June and budgeting for $23.5 million in sports betting revenue in July(a figure that was nowhere close to hitting). In-person sports betting became regulated after the passage of S 2045 and November marked the launch of Rhode Island sportsbooks, when Twin River Lincoln accepted the state’s first bet.
SportsBet Rhode Island
SportsBet Rhode Island is the operation run by a partnership between the Rhode Island Lottery, William Hill, and IGT. Profit sharing is such that the lottery takes 51%, and this is the only sports betting option that is regulated by the state of Rhode Island. They have a direct hand in it, and the amount of profit sharing required does impact the odds that are offered, so offshore sportsbooks are occasionally better in terms of odds.
Twin River Casino Lincoln
The Twin River Casino in Lincoln, RI, is one of the few online sportsbooks available in Rhode Island, and it is operated by a partnership between IGT and William Hill. These sportsbooks work hand-in-hand with SportsBet Rhode Island. In fact, in order to sign up for SportsBet Rhode Island, you have to visit either this casino or the Tiverton one.
Twin River Casino Tiverton
Twin River Casino Tiverton is one of the two retail casinos operating in the state. Operated in a joint partnership between Twin River, IGT and William Hill, the odds here will be the same as the odds at the SportsBet Rhode Island app, as they are the oddsmakers for it as well as partners with it.
Can I Bet Real Money On Sports In Rhode Island?
You can bet real money on the outcome of sporting events in Rhode Island, but if you don’t do it at a licensed and reputable offshore sports betting website or at an in-state sportsbook then you will be in violation of state law. Though nobody has been prosecuted for placing bets, it’s a wise move not to tempt fate that way, as no amount of winnings is worth being behind bars on the off chance you find yourself before a judge. Fortunately, the aforementioned offshore sites offer utter financial and legal security for legal Rhode Island sports betting participants. They aren’t the only option for real money legal sports betting, but they are convenient, easy to use, and offer attractive betting options and bonuses
What Is the Sports Betting Age In Rhode Island?
The minimum age to participate in any kind of allowable gambling in Rhode Island is 18. This includes sports wagering, which makes RI somewhat unique. After all, that’s younger than in many other states, where bettors have to wait until they turn 21 before being legally allowed to wager on sports. This is especially good news for young Rhode Island residents interested in getting in on the sports betting action available at offshore gambling websites, as most all of them accept deposits from players 18 or older, in accordance with their own local laws in their home countries. So the rules are simple: No matter where you bet, if you’re the legal sports betting age of 18, you can lay your money down!
Are There Mobile Sports Betting Apps Available In Rhode Island?
All the top sports betting sites legal in Rhode Island have mobile versions and web-apps (i.e. browser-based app-like experiences) designed to work with both Android and iOS, and these are freely available. They offer virtually the same streamlined betting experiences as can be found on their desktop portals, but they have the added convenience of allowing users to place bets no matter where they are. Along with mobile betting sites that take RI residents like Bovada, Sportsbook Rhode Island is also available but requires an app to be downloaded.
Sports Teams In Rhode Island To Bet On
Most Popular Teams In Rhode Island
| New England Patriots (NFL) | Boston Red Sox (MLB) | Boston Celtics (NBA) |
| Boston Bruins (NHL) | Brown Bears (NCAA-D1) | Bryant Bulldogs (NCAA-D1) |
| Providence Friars (NCAA-D1) | Rhode Island Rams (NCAA-D1) | Johnson & Wales–Providence Wildcats (NCAA-D3) |
| Rhode Island College Anchormen (NCAA-D3) | Roger Williams Hawks (NCAA-D3) | Salve Regina Seahawks (NCAA-D3) |
Sportsbooks In Rhode Island To Bet
If getting out of the house is your forte, you can drive to one of the two local casino sportsbooks. If you prefer convenience, online sports betting with an offshore operator is always an option. This can be accessed from your phone or computer anywhere you have an Internet connection. Those looking to take a weekend getaway can also take the trip down the coast to New Jersey sportsbooks or Pennsylvania sportsbooks and play in their casinos, most of which offer full single-game sports betting as well.
Lincoln Rhode Island Sportsbooks |
|
Twin River Casino & Hotel Lincoln Sportsbook Twin River’s Lincoln casino offers by far the larger of the company’s two Rhode Island sportsbooks. It features over 100 TVs, spacious seating, a full bar and dining area, and odds on all your favorite games. Players can also register at Twin River to bet online or on their phones. |
Tiverton Rhode Island Sportsbooks |
|
Twin River Casino & Hotel Tiverton Sportsbook Twin River’s Tiverton casino is smaller than its Lincoln cousin, it is powered by the same William Hill technology as its twin. Also like the Lincoln casino, players can register at Tiverton to bet online or on their phones. While less convenient than international online sportsbooks, this is still a nice option for sports fans in Rhode Island. |
How To Bet On RI College Teams In Rhode Island
Rhode Island’s local sportsbooks are prohibited from offering player props for college football, affecting wagers on players from the Brown Bears. This restriction is part of Rhode Island’s regulatory framework. Offshore sportsbooks offer these prop bets and more, operating under international regulations. They are licensed and secure, ensuring a reliable betting experience. Discover these online options for a fuller range of college football bets.
- Bet On College Football In RI
- Bet On College Basketball In RI
- Bet On College Baseball In RI
Best Legal Sports Betting Deposit Methods
There are plenty of different ways to bet on sports in Rhode Island, with state regulated online and in person sports betting, as well as internationally licensed books like Bovada that have been around for over a decade. Depending on the site, there are different sports betting deposit methods available, with credit cards being the most common. However, the internationally operated books offer cryptocurrency for instant deposits that do not have any fees. No matter how a Rhode Island player chooses to bet on sports, there are secure deposit method for all the online books in the state.
Deposit Method Limits At Bovada
| Payment Type | Min Deposit | Max Deposit | Deposit Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin/Litecoin | $10 | $5,000 | None |
| Ethereum/Tether | $50 | $5,000 | None |
| Visa/Mastercard | $20 | $1,500 | 15.9& |
| MatchPay | $20 | $1,000 | None |
| Bank Transfer | $50 | $450 | Vary |
Horse Racing Betting In Rhode Island
Pari-mutuel betting on horse racing was once the only state-sanctioned form of legal Rhode Island sports betting. Though originally not allowed by anti-gambling state statutes passed in 1896, horserace betting was made legal by voter referendum in 1934, and it wasn’t long afterward that Rhode Island’s first horse racing track, Narragansett Park, was open for business. Within 14 years, a second track, Lincoln Downs, opened, leading to a booming horse racing and breeding industry in the state. Unfortunately, all that came to an end in the 1970s, leading both failing tracks to eventually – many years later – convert into full-on casinos.
Daily Fantasy Sports In Rhode Island
Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) operators like DraftKings (based nearby in Boston, Massachusetts) and FanDuel are not restricted from Rhode Island players. The DFS industry has, since 2006, relied on language contained in the UIGEA to avoid classification as a “game of chance” and thus from gambling regulation, but that hasn’t stopped some states from declaring DFS to be the same as sports betting. Rhode Island, however, is one state that has lined up with the federal pronouncement, and in 2016, RI Attorney General Peter Kilmartin issued an opinion that DFS contests are indeed “games of skill,” at least in the view of the Ocean State.
Representative Raymond Gallison sponsored House Bill 7492 soon afterward, requiring DFS operators to become licensed through the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation, but so far no DFS regulatory legislation has gotten farther than that. No effort to ban DFS has been undertaken either, although the Rhode Island lottery has advocated for it. At any rate, it will be up to voter referendum to decide the “legal” fate of DFS in Rhode Island, where roughly 170,000 residents currently play fantasy contests for money.
Legal Rhode Island Sports Betting FAQ’s
When Did Sports Betting Become Legal In Rhode Island?
How Many Sportsbooks Are In Rhode Island?
Who Regulates Sports Betting In Rhode Island?
If using an online sportsbook, the regulatory body would be specific to the country where the sportsbook is licensed. Generally, this is Costa Rica, Antigua, Canada, among others. When using the Twin River sportsbook locations, the Rhode Island Lottery has oversight of the RI sports betting industry.
Is Online Sports Betting Safe In Rhode Island?
Because the offshore sports betting websites like Bovada, BetOnline, and SportsBetting are all regulated and licensed by their home countries, sports betting at these locations in RI is safe. These websites have been around for the better part of a generation, and they cater specifically to US bettors who had no options left to legally bet on sports after the various federal laws like PASPA and the UIGEA took effect. Bettors can also find safe options with the state-licensed mobile sportsbooks but will commonly find that certain teams of interest will not be offered at the books.
Where Is The Best Place To Bet On Sports In Rhode Island?
Should I Use A Local Bookie In Rhode Island?
Do Any Casinos In Rhode Island Have Sports Betting?
There are currently two casinos operating in Rhode Island, the Twin Rivers Casinos in Lincoln and Tiverton. They both are fairly new, having divested themselves of their former history as pari-mutuel betting centers. With their truly modern and quite spacious sportsbooks, you can lounge, drink, and gamble on sports with no problems. The casinos even offer promotions and member bonuses. Additionally, reputable and licensed foreign-operated gaming websites like Bovada, BetOnline, and SportsBetting are the best alternatives.