Casinos in Rhode Island

All you need to know about Rhode Island casinos

Although there is a small selection of casinos in the state of Rhode Island, this isn’t the main focus of entertainment in this region. There is reason to believe that authorized gambling is on a rise in this state, as there are more casinos and racinos now than ever before, but until much further progress, residents and visitors of Rhode Island will have to settle for the options available to them.

 

However, as Rhode Island is a very small state in size, there is the option for people to venture to neighboring states such as Massachusetts to fulfill their gambling wants and needs. Massachusetts offers a wide range of gambling options for you to enjoy, from racinos, commercial casinos, race tracks to bingo houses. With so many options to choose from, it’s almost a shame not to make the short trip over there and check them out for yourself. What’s more, if you are worried about not being able to make it there and back in a day without ruining the overall experience, then fear not. Massachusetts has a whole host of great casino resorts as well. A casino resort is something that allows people to game on all their favorite casino classics, as well as stay the night in various hotel rooms of their choosing. Depending on the price you are willing to pay, there are some really fabulous hotels out there, offering sensational rooms as well as penthouse suites. There is really the option to make your entire gambling trip an all round unforgettable experience.

 

But if you don’t feel like leaving the comforts of your own home in Rhode Island because of whatever reason, then there are still plenty of gambling options for you. That’s correct… All you need to do is turn on your computer at home and you have a whole array of great gaming options in front of you in the form of online gaming sites. For various reasons (including people not wishing to spend on travel), people are taking to the tables and spinning the slots on online casinos and online betting sites. You might be thinking, ‘well that’s great, but is it legal for American players?’ and the answer is, yes! There are many online gaming sites which offer incredibly safe as well as easy banking methods for you to use, such as Visa and MasterCard.

 

So, although the land based options are slim in the state of Rhode Island, there are plenty of other ways to win big on all your favorites!

Rhode Island Gambling Laws

Unlike gambling laws in some US states, Rhode Island gambling laws are ambiguous because it does not have a specific definition of gambling. Gambling terms are also vague with only “forms of gambling prohibited” as the basis for what games are authorized and what are considered as unlawful. Because of this, penalties are also ambiguous and often not definite. Despite this fact, there are still a number of gambling options around the state.

Casinos

There are only two state-licensed casinos in Rhode Island. These are the Newport Grand Slots and the Twin River Casino. However, Newport Grand only offers video slots, in 2014, Newport residents filed their own complaints against the establishment to prevent it from expanding and offering other gaming options. They say that the proposed expansion of the casino is unconstitutional. On the other hand, Twin River Casinos offers a three-class table games  aside from the usual slots. Legal gambling age is 18.

Pari-Mutuel

This type of wagering includes licensed horse and dog racing. The only place they were available was Lincoln Park (also known as the Twin River Casino), that used to be a horse racing track and eventually converted into a greyhound racing track. However, the venue stopped live races in 2009. Although there are regular simulcast races and jai alai, still available for players. Aside from the Twin River, simulcast games are also available in Newport Grand. Legal betting age is 18.

Charitable Gambling

Bingo games and raffles are sanctioned by the State, according to Rhode Island Charity Gambling Laws, only if they organized and conducted by a tax-exempt charitable organization for charity purposes. It could be fraternal, civic, and social organizations, patriotic, educational and police societies. Religious, human and labor organizations can also conduct these games with the required licenses and permits. There are some additional rules they should comply with: they can be conducted only once a week – for bingo and three times a year – for raffles (unless there is a special permit acquired to say otherwise); daily raffle prize for senior citizens must not exceed $400 (for bingo) and $500 (for raffles). The legal age of participants must be above 18 years (minors are also allowed as long as they are supervised or accompanied by a responsible adult).

Lottery

Rhode Island has its own state lottery, which allows residents to play the usual local lotto games, like Keno, VLTs (virtual lottery terminals), as well as inter-state games such as Powerball and Mega Million. The minimum age for lottery participants is 18.

 

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Online Gambling

Currently, there is no explicitly regulated law for online gambling in the state. However, it also doesn’t contain strict prohibitions for online gamblers. The situation can be clear within the next year if Rhode Island joins to nearby Delaware in the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement.

 

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Poker

Poker games are not legally allowed through the state’s venues. Even social home-based poker games are not explicitly regulated by the law. Online poker is not legalized in the state as well.