Rhode Island regulators consider opening online sports betting market to rivals in 2026

Rhode Island gambling regulators may open the state's online sports betting market to competition from 2026, a move that would end the current single-operator model and bring in major sportsbook brands seeking to expand into the state. The Rhode Island Lottery said it had received eight responses to a summer request for information (RFI) from companies interested in entering the market. The list includes Bally’s, Fanatics, Kambi, DraftKings, BetMGM, OpenBet, FanDuel, and IGT, which currently operates the state’s only digital sportsbook under an exclusive contract that runs through November 2026. Lottery spokesperson Paul Grimaldi said the agency is now assessing whether to add more sports betting apps and could issue a request for proposals later this month. “[The] Lottery is moving ahead with its examination of whether adding more apps is feasible,” he said in an email to Rhode Island Current. Bally’s spokesperson Patti Doyle said the company continues to “have an interest in a Rhode Island sportsbook RFP,” while Fanatics’ Kevin Hennessey said the operator “publicly supports an open and competitive market in Rhode Island for legal sports betting.” DraftKings spokesperson Parker Winslow said the firm “continually explores opportunities” to expand and had backed earlier legislation that would allow three to five operators by mid-2026. A bill to expand the number of sportsbook operators, introduced by Senate Majority Leader Frank Ciccone, passed the Senate but stalled in the House. A companion bill from Representative Matthew Dawson also failed to advance. Supporters of market expansion say additional operators could help Rhode Island recapture sports betting revenue that has shifted to neighboring states such as Massachusetts and Connecticut. In August, Massachusetts reported more than $11 million in taxable revenue from seven apps, while Connecticut collected about $13 million from three. Rhode Island, with its single app, generated nearly $3 million. A University of New Hampshire survey found that 15% of Rhode Islanders bet on sports occasionally, compared with 18% in Massachusetts, 17% in Connecticut, and 10% in New Hampshire. Some opponents to expansion have also cautioned that adding more platforms could increase exposure among younger bettors, since Rhode Island allows sports betting from age 18, lower than the 21-year minimum in Massachusetts and Connecticut.