The Rhode Island house last week joined the Senate in approving mobile sports betting by a vote of 64-8. The bill now goes to Governor Gina Raimondo, who has said she will sign it. However, there is the threat of a lawsuit from the minority party.
The state legalized sports betting last summer and the state’s two casinos began offering sports book shortly after Thanksgiving. However, bets need to be made within the casino.
The new bill allows sports betting anywhere with the state through a mobile platform that would be issued through Twin River, the operator of both state casinos. Bettors must first create an account at one of the two casinos.
Senate President Dominick Ruggerio was one of the bill’s strongest supporters. He hailed the bill’s passage: “The new in-person sportsbook that opened in November has been very popular, with lines sometimes stretching out the doors.” He added, “Expanding to mobile gaming would provide a convenient option for those wishing to enjoy this form of entertainment, and open up the economic benefits beyond the walls of Twin River. I can envision a group of friends from out-of-state spending an evening out in a local establishment where they can both watch the game and place a wager.”
Last week Rhode Island Republicans threatened a court challenge to the state’s sports betting operation.
House Minority Leader Rep. Blake Filippi, told the Associated Press, “I support this type of gaming. I don’t support moving ahead when there are substantial questions about its legality.” He added, “I think we should be asking for an advisory opinion from the Rhode Island Supreme Court before we build our budget around it and invest in the technology.”
The threat is part of a larger fight over abortion rights as the House began debate on a bill that would, if passed, make Roe v. Wade part of state law.
The state GOP party chairman, Brandon Bell said the party is considering suing and issued this statement: “The General Assembly has spent weeks talking about putting federal abortion rights into state law. But, during that same time, the General Assembly has refused to follow our State Constitution by seeking voter approval before expanding gambling in the form of sports gambling, and now online sports gambling.”
Last year Republicans largely opposed the sports betting bill and now point to the provision in the state constitution that reads “expanding the types of gambling” in the state requires voter approval.
Governor Gina Raimondo and Democratic leaders of the legislature maintain that the voters did that when they approved table games several years ago.
Bell retorts that since “sports betting” was not named in the measures that the voters were left in the dark about their intent.
He wrote, “The General Assembly can go ahead and try to ignore the right to life for the unborn by expanding abortion rights under state law, but they won’t be able to ignore a lawsuit to enforce our state constitutional right to vote on an expansion of gambling.”
The governor’s proposed budget already includes revenues from mobile sports betting that assumes $30 million from sports betting, with $3 million from mobile sports betting.
