IGT agrees to multi-year Rhode Island extension through 2028

Charlotte Capewell

8 January 2026 at 7:14am UTC-5

Source: CDC Gaming

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Global gaming supplier IGT has inked a multi-year extension to its agreement to supply Rhode Island’s online and retail sports betting platform.

The two-year contract extension will run through at least November 2028 and will see the IGT PlaySports division remain at the core of Sportsbook Rhode Island, which has been the state’s only online betting app since legal sports betting was launched in the state in 2018.

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IGT has managed the Sportsbook Rhode Island app after it took over from a partnership between the Rhode Island Lottery and Caesars Sportsbook in 2019.

The announcement gives clarity around IGT’s long-term role just a month after the Lottery revealed a plan for expansion of the state’s tightly controlled sportsbook market.

Previously, lawmakers pushed to add up to six additional sportsbook operators to the state, but that has been whittled down to one. The chosen operator is expected to be awarded a five-year contract, with a planned launch date after November 2026. This will be followed by an evaluation period.

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This limited expansion has been criticized by some lawmakers and industry consultants, who argue that the addition of more sportsbooks would increase market competitiveness in the state. Some betting customers have also called for more sports betting options amid dissatisfaction with the currently IGT-powered app.

Rhode Island has struggled to match the sports betting revenues generated in some neighboring states, and tax revenue has declined slightly in the last fiscal year, although the Lottery has stated that it is committed to expanding customer choice.

Charlotte Capewell brings her passion for storytelling and expertise in writing, researching, and the gambling industry to every article she writes. Her specialties include the US gambling industry, regulator legislation, igaming, and more.

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The Backstory

Setting the scene in a one-operator market

Rhode Island’s digital gambling landscape has been defined by a single sports betting operator and a fast-growing online casino footprint, a combination that has sharpened debates over competition, consumer protections and state revenue. The state legalized sports betting in 2018 and granted online gaming authority to the Rhode Island Lottery, which oversees both sportsbook and igaming. Efforts to open the market to more sportsbook operators intensified this spring, colliding with contract timelines and policy priorities at the State House. Meanwhile, the Lottery’s monthly releases show internet casino revenue accelerating, raising the stakes of any change to market structure.

Two parallel threads now shape the backdrop: a legislative push to add competing sportsbooks and a policy drive to tighten age limits and enforcement for online gambling. Each initiative has moved at a different pace, but both have converged on the same question for policymakers: how to grow the pie while guarding against harm as gambling shifts further online.

A Senate green light, then a House stop sign

Momentum to expand sports betting appeared strong in early June, when Senate leaders moved two bills out of committee with unanimous support and scheduled a floor vote. Senate Majority Leader Frank Ciccone, buoyed by new Senate President Valarie Lawson’s support, said the measures had “a good chance” of passage. The proposals included Senate Bill 748 to expand the sports betting industry and Senate Bill 623 to stiffen penalties for underage online gaming. If the expansion bill advanced, it could have opened the door to national brands such as DraftKings and FanDuel, ending the state’s single-operator model.

The Senate followed through. But the push stalled across the rotunda. Despite a 30-2 Senate vote, the House did not schedule a committee hearing before the June 21 deadline, effectively shelving expansion for another year. House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi had previously signaled reluctance to take up the question until the existing operator contract neared its end in 2026. Concerns flagged by Lottery Director Mark Furcolo and IGT executive Joe Bertolone about the risks of premature expansion added headwinds. The outcome preserved Rhode Island’s status quo, at least in the near term.

The legislative record offers a fuller picture of the proposals that were in play. The sports betting bill is cataloged on LegiScan as S0748, with text posted by the General Assembly at this Senate document. The companion enforcement measure targeting underage wagering is listed as S0623, and a related House proposal, H5643, also advanced at various points this spring.

Surging igaming revenue reframes the calculus

While sports betting expansion faltered, igaming kept climbing. The Lottery reported that February delivered the best monthly igaming result of the fiscal year to that point, with US$3.7 million in combined net revenue on US$109.7 million in wagers. Slots generated US$2.6 million of the total, with online table games contributing US$1.1 million.

The spring trend line steepened. In April, online gaming revenue rose to US$4.7 million, up 128% year over year as slots surged 171.1% from April 2024. Table games also grew 50% year over year, though both categories showed mixed month-to-month moves coming off a record March. Then May extended the annual gains: net gaming revenue more than doubled to US$4.8 million, with wagers up 110.9% to US$129.1 million. Slots again led the way with US$3.7 million in net revenue, while tables added US$1.1 million.

These figures complicate the policy conversation. On one hand, rapid growth in igaming suggests Rhode Island is capturing more digital play and taxes, giving officials a reason to avoid disruptive changes to the regulatory regime. On the other hand, proponents of sportsbook competition argue that a single-operator system has underperformed compared with neighboring states, and that more brands would lift engagement across both sports betting and casino channels. The Lottery’s own data show strong demand for digital games; the unresolved question is whether a more open sportsbook market would amplify that or simply fragment a steady base.

Guardrails: age limits and enforcement take center stage

As revenue rose, lawmakers zeroed in on underage access. Rhode Island permits eighteen-year-olds to gamble at retail casinos, but lawmakers moved to align online thresholds at age twenty-one and stiffen penalties for violations. The Senate’s underage enforcement bill drew support alongside the expansion push, reflecting bipartisan concern about mobile gambling risks. A similar House bill, H5643, faced a bumpy path but returned for reconsideration in late April.

Lottery data reports and media coverage have underscored the tension. April’s revenue dispatch noted the scheduled revote on underage penalties, while May’s release again highlighted public scrutiny of youth access. The broader policy arc is clear: even as the state weighs market expansion, the Legislature is building a tougher compliance framework around age verification and facilitation of underage gambling. The Senate language, available at S0623, outlines criminal sanctions for those who allow anyone under twenty-one to bet online or play mobile casino games.

The regulatory posture mirrors national trends. States that legalized online casino play have increasingly paired growth with stricter responsible gaming measures, including identity checks, self-exclusion tools and marketing restrictions aimed at young adults. Rhode Island’s bills would add enforcement teeth to those policies, signaling that any future expansion is likely to be accompanied by tighter guardrails.

Contract clocks and the road ahead

Any change to the sports betting lineup runs through contract timing. Lawmakers and industry stakeholders have repeatedly pointed to the existing deal’s November 2026 horizon. In the run-up to June’s legislative deadline, House leaders cited that expiration as a reason to hold off on expansion. The Senate’s aggressive posture reflected a different view: lock in a competitive process early, then run a transition track to bring in additional operators when the window opens.

The practical implications go beyond vendor names. A shift from one operator to several would reset technology integrations, marketing strategies and revenue-sharing structures with the Lottery. It would also test whether more consumer choice meaningfully expands handle, or whether Rhode Island’s compact population limits the upside. Meanwhile, the online casino trajectory will keep pressure on policymakers to balance growth with player protections. The Lottery’s monthly igaming releases, from February’s fiscal-year high through April’s surge and May’s triple-digit gains, suggest that digital play is becoming a more important pillar of the state’s gambling revenue mix.

As the General Assembly reconvenes for future sessions, the legislative file remains open. The sports betting expansion blueprint is documented at S0748A and S0748, and the enforcement package at S0623 and H5643. Whether the next chapter brings competition, tighter safeguards or both, the state’s recent revenue trajectory ensures the stakes will be closely watched by lawmakers, operators and bettors alike.