Little Rhody means little rose, and as the smallest state in the USA, the tiny gem of Rhode Island has become the next territory to flourish under the online casino banner.
Table games and online slots are now available domestically in Rhode Island. An online casino bill passed in 2023 permits domestic gambling sites in Rhode Island to offer slots and real money games like roulette and blackjack to anyone 21 and over with a web-ready device.
What’s unique about what The Plantation State has in store for local online gamblers is the presentation of live dealer games broadcast directly from local casinos.
Rhode Island’s Online Live Dealer Games
Online casinos in Rhode Island currently offer live dealer games of blackjack and roulette that are filmed inside a specially constructed studio (known as the iGaming studio) at Bally’s Twin River in Lincoln, RI.
“When you think about it, there are a lot of people that just don’t want to travel to a casino for various reasons… They could be far away down in the South County area, for instance, or maybe they’re intimidated by just being in a casino or playing, sitting in a table game.”
Craig Eaton, President of Bally’s Rhode Island
Just like real games of blackjack or roulette that are played in person, gamblers will be able to watch the movements of the dealers on a video feed and speak with them using a chat function.
Revenue Expectations From Online And Mobile Casinos
Mobile gambling of all types creates a natural uptick in revenue due to the convenience of betting from a location of the player’s choosing. State lawmakers had that in mind last year when drafting and debating these new RI gambling laws.
“iGaming will ensure that Rhode Island remains at the forefront of the competitive gaming industry, reinforcing a critical revenue stream for the state while providing an alternative form of entertainment,”
Rhode Island Senate President Dominick Ruggerio
According to data collected by the Rhode Island Department of Revenue, The Ocean State is poised to collect $24.1 million in proceeds during the first twelve months of activity, with totals increasing to nearly $40 million annually by 2029.
The construction costs for Bally’s iGaming studio exceeded $5 million, so that should give readers an indication of how much money they intend to collect by offering these live table games online.
There are also responsible gaming safeguards that can be enabled on these RI casino apps and websites that set budgets, game time limits, and more. This is something that cannot be done inside Rhode Island’s retail casinos and was a moving point for the approval of online options.
Sources – NBC 10 WJAR Providence, Rhode Island Current, The Providence Journal