Real Money Gambling in Rhode Island

Competition between Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts for gambling revenue is fierce, especially seeing as how residents are willing to travel across state lines to play.

But you can avoid the heated competition, as well as rush hour traffic if you stay home and gamble online at any of the best Rhode Island gambling sites instead.

How We Rate

Safety & Security

You should be able to gamble online without fear. So we only recommend licensed sites that use the latest security and encryption techniques.

Bonuses

Maximize your bankroll with fantastic bonuses. Our recommended sites offer valuable bonuses with fair terms and conditions, including manageable wagering requirements.

Games & Betting

The best sites have the best wagering options. That’s why you will find extensive games and betting opportunities on our recommended sites.

Banking

Getting your money to and from your account shouldn’t be a hassle. We only recommend sites with a variety of convenient banking methods, including cryptocurrency and e-wallets.

RI lawmakers have been hesitant to move forward with formal web-based gambling legislation. At the same time, they’re not thrilled about Massachusetts benefiting from gambling revenue that their own state should’ve pocketed.

The state doesn’t get a cut of the revenue generated by daily fantasy sports either, as DFS is considered a “skill game.”

This might explain why Rhode Island finally decided to introduce a geolocated mobile sportsbook at the end of 2019.

Punters can take advantage of DFS and sports betting from their computers or smartphones. And if you join the right real money gambling site in Rhode Island, casino and poker games might be available too.

Why do you need to use a top Rhode Island gambling site that’s right for you?

Why can’t you just join the first site you find?

Choosing the right site will impact your experience when gambling online for real money. How? Let’s look at a couple of examples.

An average gambling site will have a small selection of games. For example, they might only have 50 slot machines, 3 video poker machines, and a dozen table games in their casino.

The best Rhode Island gambling sites work with multiple software developers. This enables them to offer 100, 150, or 200 or more fun and unique slot machines.

If you’re going to stay home and gamble online in Rhode Island, don’t you want a lot of games to choose from? Join the best sites and you will.

Promotions are another key area where Rhode Island gamblers will notice a distinct difference between the average and top-rated RI gambling websites.

Average gambling sites might offer one or two promos, such as a deposit bonus and cashback reward program. The bonus and cashback will be small too, and the playthrough tough to clear.

Legit gambling websites in Rhode Island offer a variety of promos for both new and existing customers, such as the following.

Not only will you have more gambling promos to choose from, but the best sites for gambling with real money in Rhode Island will also impose reasonable bonus terms. This will give you a fighting chance to cash out some of your winnings.

Here’s one more example – banking fees.

Join an average gambling site and you might pay $40-$100 or more for a single withdrawal. Second-rate sites will even charge you to make a deposit.

But if you gamble online for real money in Rhode Island at one of our recommended sites, you won’t pay a dime to fund your account. Many of the sites we endorse let you withdraw for free. And, if not, many of them offer one free cash-out per month and then charge a relatively reasonable rate for all other withdrawals.

Okay, so what’s the point of all these examples?

The point is this. There are significant differences between an average gambling site and a top-rated gambling site in Rhode Island. These differences will impact your enjoyment and what it’ll cost you to gamble online in RI.

So, back to the original question – how do you find the best gambling website for you? Many people don’t know what to look for. Even if you did, it’s a nuisance to create an account and make a deposit at different RI gambling sites just to test them out.

That’s why we suggest that you let us do the work for you. Our team has reviewed and handpicked the best online Rhode Island gambling sites. All you’ll have to do is choose one from our list and start playing.

No one would blame you if you’re apprehensive about taking a recommendation without knowing first whether you can trust the source giving it. So, let’s talk a little about our review and ranking process.

When we review RI gambling sites, we make sure each one meets our minimum standards before listing them on GamblingSites.com.

We also note any issues or above-average services, which can sometimes help you decide between two or more online gambling sites in Rhode Island.

In every review we write, we look for, pay close attention to, and test the following things.

Once our reviews are done, we evaluate the results and turn them into ratings. Ratings help us to compare one RI gambling site to another.

Next, we eliminate operations with significant issues, such as slow payouts, and sites that aren’t safe and secure to use.

The remaining sites are compared, and then we turn the top results into a list of the best Rhode Island gambling sites for you to pick and choose from.

This process takes us a long time. But it’s worth it knowing that our readers will join and play at the safest gambling websites in Rhode Island.

We also rank the top RI gambling sites in more specific categories.

It takes less than an hour to get from one end of Rhode Island to the other, regardless of the direction you’re heading. Along the way, you’ll pass hundreds of lottery retailers and two casinos. So, if you’re looking to place a bet, then you’ve got options in the Ocean State.

Then, why would you or anyone else want to gamble online for real money in RI?

Online gambling in Rhode Island is about convenience. You can grab your laptop or smartphone and play slots or blackjack, or back your favorite team, in a matter of seconds.

You can get an entire gambling session in at home in the time it’d take you to drive to Twin River or Tiverton and find a game to play.

There’s more to it than just convenience. Some people who enjoy games of chance can’t get to Twin River or Tiverton Casino.

They could have mobility issues or health problems that keep them homebound. Casinos are also smoky and uncomfortable for people with breathing issues.

In Rhode Island, there’s another reason why residents appreciate online gambling, and that’s the games they have available.

Even though there are two casinos, neither of them has actual slots on the gambling floor. The machines in Twin River and Tiverton are VLTs. So, if you prefer slots and want to play to win big progressive jackpots, it makes sense to play slots online in Rhode Island.

This applies to all games too, not just slots. It’s much easier to find any game you want to play or bet on online.

The Twin River Casino and Tiverton Casino Hotel in Rhode Island both offer promotions, such as slot-free plays and a Players Club. Not too shabby, right?

You’ll find more promotions online, though. The list of promos you can claim includes free plays, deposit bonuses, rebates, no-deposit bonuses, and more.

And when you’re all done with a promotion, most Rhode Island gambling sites will be happy to come up with something else for you. All you have to do is ask.

1744-1843 Informal lotteries thrived throughout the colony / state, supporting municipal development until they were banned in 1843.

1843 Rhode Island enacts its state constitution, which brings a temporary end to the age of legal lotteries.

1896 Rhode Island’s General Laws are amended to include section 11-19-1, which outlines the prohibited forms of gambling as “any lottery, chance, game, or device of any nature or kind whatsoever, or by whatsoever name it may be called, for the purpose of exposing, setting for sale or disposing of any money, houses, lands, merchandise, or articles of value.”

1896 Section 11-19-14 of the General Laws explicitly outlaws bookmaking and sports betting.

1934 On May 18th, turning out by a 3-1 margin in favor of expanding the state’s gambling laws, Rhode Island voters approve a measure to legalize pari-mutuel betting on horses and greyhounds. On August 1st of that year, the Narragansett Park racetrack opened to the public.

1973 On November 6th, voters overwhelmingly passed Proposal 4 by a 61% to 38% margin, authorizing the creation of the Rhode Island Lottery.

1974 Lawmakers quickly pass the legislation required to officially create, launch, and regulate the Rhode Island Lottery.

1974 On May 1st, tickets for “The Lott” – Rhode Island’s first state-supervised lottery program – went on sale. On May 30th the first drawing took place at the State House.

1983 Section 11-19-35 of the General Laws permits the Rhode Island Lottery to regulate the sale of so-called “pull tab” (similar to scratch cards) lottery tickets to “religious, fraternal, civic, educational, veterans’, or charitable organizations.” This law expands the scope of lottery sales in the state, by allowing accepted organizations to act as third-party distributors.

1987 Section 11-19-32.1 of the General Laws allows bingo to be played, for prizes totaling less than $400, at any senior citizen living facility.

1988 The Rhode Island Lottery joins up with the Multi-State Lottery Association as a charter member, bringing major national games like Powerball and Mega Millions to the state for the first time.

1990 Voters reject Proposal 3, which would’ve permitted off-track betting on horse races, by a 63% to 36% margin.

1991 On June 7th, Governor Bruce Sundlin signs a budget package which contains a provision allowing certain days to be devoted to off-track betting at two locations. Newport Jai Alai and Lincoln Greyhound Park were subsequently allowed to simulcast 104 races per year beginning in July.

1992 On June 30th, the General Assembly votes to authorize video lottery terminals (VLTs), which closely resemble slot machines in terms of appearance and game play, within the state’s two pari-mutuel betting facilities.

1992 On September 13th, the Rhode Island Lottery introduces the state’s first legal keno games.

1992 On September 19th, the first VLT machines go live at Newport Jai Alai and Lincoln Greyhound Park.

1993 The state’s original General Law on gambling is amended to allow local jurisdictions within Rhode Island to run their own lottery programs. Section 11-19-1.1 also created the Rhode Island Lottery Commission.

1994 On November 8th, following months of proposals from various parties to construct casinos of different size and scope, voters reject a measure to expand to full-scale table gaming.

1998 The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) places 31 acres of land owned by the Narragansett Tribe of Indians in trust, which the tribe intends to use for a casino building project. The state government quickly appealed, however, and over the next decade Rhode Island successfully blocked its tribal groups from getting in on the casino game.

2010 On May 15th, Governor Donald Carcieri signed legislation officially outlawing greyhound racing, in an effort to divest Twin River Casino of its prior pari-mutuel racing obligations.

2012 On November 6th, voters lend their full support to Question 1 and Question 2, thus authorizing state-operated casino gaming at the Twin River and Newport Grand casinos, respectively. This transformed the former pari-mutuel betting facilities / slot parlors into full-fledged casinos capable of competing with regional neighbors like Foxwoods in Connecticut.

2015 In December, the state’s first poker room – a 16-table facility at Twin River Casino – opened to the public. The decision was enabled by 2012’s table game expansion, and approved by the state lottery.

2016 On February 4th, the state’s Attorney General issues an opinion which holds that daily fantasy sports (DFS) is not a game of chance, and is thus legal under state law.

2016 On November 6th, voters approve Question 1 – which calls for the construction of a new casino in Tiverton – is passed by a 55% to 45% margin in a statewide referendum. Days later, the town of Tiverton held its own municipal vote on the matter, with 4,305 residents voting in favor, and 3,939 against. The votes paved the way for Twin River Management to move its newly acquired Newport Grand Casino operations to Tiverton’s top of the line facilities. Furthermore, the close proximity of Tiverton to the Massachusetts border allows Rhode Island to “defend” its gambling population from competitors like Foxwoods.

Legal gambling in Rhode Island dates back to 1934 when the state legalized horse racing and pari-mutuel betting.

40 years later, in 1974, the state launched the Rhode Island lottery. The lottery evolved into a major source of revenue, as you can play more than just scratch and draw tickets. RI residents can play keno, bingo, and pull tabs too.

Fast forward RI gambling to today. The state’s greyhound track and Jai Alai venues morphed into racinos and then casinos.  These casinos offer a variety of machines, table games, and VLTs (virtual lottery terminals).

The lottery not only provides the VLT machines but also oversees the table games, as well as the recently launched sports betting program.

Even though the lottery is a retailer-only program, things may change in the future. The commission has already had to spread its wings virtually. At the end of 2019, sports betting expanded from being exclusively land-based to mobile accessibility.

Gambling online in Rhode Island has been relatively scarce. The nod was given to daily fantasy sports (DFS) for resident participation, but there aren’t any licensing agreements. That means the Ocean State doesn’t reap the benefits.

Under Rhode Island gambling laws, casinos are legal. But the Twin River and Tiverton brick-and-mortar venues are the only places with state-regulated gaming. The same applies to poker rooms. Twin River has a 20-table room, but there’s no online counterpart.

So, all gambling sites, except the new in-state mobile sportsbook, are from other jurisdictions.

This isn’t a problem. We’re not aware of anyone who has been arrested for gambling online, and so long as you join one of the best Rhode Island online gambling sites, your money will be safe.

Here’s a summary of the options for legal gambling in Rhode Island.

Newport Grand Casino

Address: 150 Admiral Kalbfus Road, Newport, RI 02840

Website: http://www.newportgrand.com/

Venue Type:Commercial

Twin River Casino

Address: 100 Twin River Road, Lincoln, RI 02865

Website: http://www.twinriver.com/

Venue Type:Commercial

Twin River Tiverton Casino

Address: 1199 William S. Canning Blvd., Tiverton, RI, 02878

Website: http://www.twinriver.com/

Venue Type:Commercial

You wouldn’t say that Rhode Island is at the forefront of gambling expansion. The state has traditionally taken a “wait and see” approach.

But the Ocean State was quick on the draw with sports betting legislation, though, which was initially slated for land-based access only.

You can thank Rhode Island’s neighbors for that, who are now dictating RI’s future moves. Gambling expansion is now like a game of chess. Boston unveils a massive casino resort and Rhode Island counters with mobile sports betting.

The expansion of online gambling in Rhode Island isn’t a sure bet. But so long as bordering states like Massachusetts and Connecticut continue to siphon profits meant for Rhode Island’s piggybank, you can bet RI will at least discuss the possibilities.

In the meantime, you can satisfy your gambling appetite by joining one of our recommended Rhode Island gambling websites.