Rhode Island Lottery to Add New Online Sportsbook License

Sportsbook License

Unhappy bettors in the Ocean State are about to get some long-awaited relief.

The Rhode Island Lottery has announced it will add one new mobile sportsbook license in 2026. The new license will come with a five-year contract, beginning in November. An RFI was sent out in December to gauge operators' interest, and now they can bid for the license until February 19.

Sportsbook RI, which is operated by International Game Technology (IGT), is the only online sportsbook currently available in the state. It has been operating in the state with an exclusive contract since 2019.

While the sportsbook allows residents to legally bet on sports, users have been unhappy with the platform. The lack of options has left many frustrated, feeling that the lack of competition has prevented the operators from improving their struggling platform. 

While the potential expansion of the Rhode Island sports betting market is a victory for industry proponents, it isn’t what many hoped. A Spectrum Gaming study conducted last year found that the state would need four to six new operators to compete with other regional markets. 

While more expansion could be coming, it appears lawmakers remain wary. 

Lottery Will Require Evaluation Period

The good news for Rhode Island bettors is that the Lottery has heard their complaints. They will require the new sportsbook to participate in an evaluation period, during which public feedback will be considered. 

“The intention is to seek one new app vendor (in addition to SportsbookRI) to begin offering online sports betting after November 2026,” Lottery spokesperson Paul Grimaldi said in an email to Rhode Island Current. “There would be an evaluation period, of unspecified length at the moment, to decide how well the new app is working, being accepted by bettors, and whether it’s adding to the state’s online sports betting revenue.”

While we don’t know which operators will apply for the new license, they will likely bring an existing (and successful) platform. That should provide a night-and-day difference for bettors currently using SportsbookRI.