Rhode Island lawmakers have moved bills to legalize online gaming. The state Senate easily passed a bill to legalize online casino slots and table games. The state House Finance Committee cleared its bill, which mirrors the Senate version, after several amendments were made, notably raising the legal age for online casino gaming from 18 to 21. (Sports betting is open to those 18 and above.)
The House committee also amended its bill to change the effective date of the law from Jan. 1, 2024, to March 1, 2024, and changed the percentage of revenue due to the state to match that of retail casinos.
In-person registration for mobile accounts would be required. This would occur at one of the two Bally’s Rhode Island casinos. Under state law, Bally’s has exclusive rights to offer casino gaming and retail sports betting in the state. The bills would extend that to iGaming through a company partnership with the state lottery.
The legislation would entitle the Bally’s Twin River and Tiverton casinos to iCasino platforms. They each would be required to contribute up to $200,000 per year for compulsive and problem gambling programs, and up to $50,000 each for addiction prevention.
State funds from online casino games would be directed to the lottery fund and then the state’s general fund. The state would receive 61 percent of revenue from online slots and 15.5 percent from online table games. The balance of the revenue would be split among Bally’s, its gaming vendor IGT, and the towns of Lincoln and Tiverton, which host the Bally’s brick-and-mortar casinos.
Full casino gaming may depend on a decision by state officials. During the House debate, Rhode Island Lottery officials questioned whether mobile online gaming would require a vote under the state constitution, which requires passage of a ballot referendum for any expansion of gaming.
Bally’s has proposed an end-around that would get at least online table games up and running immediately. Under the proposal, the operator would set up a live-dealer studio at its Bally’ Twin River casino in Lincoln. That way, online table games would be considered an extension of gaming that already is approved, rather than a gaming expansion.
“This is the approach taken in many places around the country,” a Senate explanation of the changes in the iGaming bill provided by spokesman Greg Pare said, according to Yogonet.com,. “It is done in New Jersey, where their constitution requires bets to be wagered in Atlantic City.”
Presumably, online slots from a server located at a Bally’s casino would also avoid the gaming-expansion provision.
The Rhode Island General Assembly is set to adjourn June 30. The House has until then to vote on the amended bill, and a conference vote from the Senate would then have to approve the amendments for it to be sent to Governor Daniel McKee for signature.
