After PASPA was overturned in mid-2018, the state legalized and began regulating sports gambling at their casinos. It was not until much more recently that the state expanded their legislature to include rules for legalized electronic gambling – and after a few more years, table games were allowed. The history of gambling in Rhode Island started off with greyhound racing many years ago at Lincoln Park Raceway, which is now Twin River Casino. However, they seem to be one of only a handful of states that have fast-tracked the legalization of their sports gambling market. While some of the larger states that have been synonymous with casino gambling (like New Jersey and Pennsylvania) have been getting most of the attention, Rhode Island is one that has been flying under the radar. With PASPA overturned, the floodgates have opened up for states to establish and regulate sports betting within their jurisdiction. The act was in place since 1992, and previously limited the scope of legal sports betting within the United States. Sports betting has come to the forefront recently in mainstream America – even more so after the Supreme Court overruled the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 2018.
