Lincoln Park was renamed Twin River Casino in 2007. In 2003, Newport Jai Alai was converted into a VLT parlor, which closed down in 2018 to make room for a new casino in Tiverton. However, table games wouldn’t be introduced to the state until 2012. In 1992, the General Assembly allowed VLTs at those facilities in response to the opening of Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut. Horse race betting was also re-introduced to the state via off-track betting facilities at Newport Jai Alai and Lincoln Park. Additional referenda authorized pull-tab games and bingo. In 1973, Rhode Island amended its constitution and launched a lottery. Both of the state's racetracks closed down in the 1970s due to financial difficulties. Legal gambling in Rhode Island began in 1934 when the state legislature authorized betting on horse and dog racing. More recently, in June 2023, it became the seventh state to legalize online casino gaming, which is expected to launch mid-2024.
The state was one of the first to launch sports betting after the US Supreme Court struck down the federal prohibition (PASPA) in 2018.
Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the nation, but its residents have access to a big range of gambling options.
