Rhode Island’s Monthly Betting Revenue Soars Past $150 Million

The Rhode Island gambling sector has made a remarkable entry into 2025, reporting a staggering total betting handle of over $150.9 million for January alone. This exceptional figure underscores the state’s prominent position in the U.S. gambling landscape, especially given its modest population of just 1.1 million residents.

Impressive Revenue Statistics

Additionally, the Office of the Auditor General revealed that Rhode Island’s gambling taxes contributed over $434 million to state coffers in 2024. To put these figures into context, states like Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Michigan, which each have nearly tenfold the population of Rhode Island, reported significantly higher totals in revenue during the same period—$529.1 million, $210.1 million, and $331.2 million, respectively. Such comparisons not only highlight Rhode Island’s remarkable performance but also its exceptional market efficiency.

Diverse Revenue Streams

The Rhode Island Lottery, which operates the state’s sole legal online sportsbook platform, significantly boosted its earnings in 2024. The combined revenues from video lottery terminals and casino offerings reached an impressive $320.5 million. Notably, video lottery terminals alone accounted for a staggering 71.9% of the state’s total gambling revenues in 2024. This dominance showcases the public’s preference and inclination towards video-based gaming experiences.

The surge in high-stakes national lottery games, such as Powerball and Mega Millions—each boasting jackpots exceeding $1 billion—has further fueled Rhode Island’s gambling revenues. However, online casino games and traditional table games, including blackjack, poker, and roulette, also made a noteworthy contribution, generating a combined total of $50.9 million.

Despite sports betting representing only 9.6% of the state’s gambling revenues during this period, its tax contributions underscore the sector’s significance. Rhode Island enforces one of the highest tax rates in the nation on sports betting, taxing revenue at an astounding 51%. This tax structure not only supports public expenditures but also reflects a robust regulatory environment designed to maximize state revenue from gambling activities.

A Thriving Gambling Economy

When considering Rhode Island’s impressive gross gambling revenues per capita alongside its tax-generating framework, the state is rightly celebrated as a pioneering model in the American gambling scene. The impressive economic impact derived from its gambling operations is a testament to the efficiency and effectiveness of the state’s regulatory framework.

In summary, Rhode Island’s gambling industry not only stands out for its robust financial performance but also serves as a case study in successfully harnessing both traditional gaming and innovative digital platforms to optimize revenue generation. As states across the country continue to explore and expand their gambling sectors, Rhode Island exemplifies the potential rewards of strategic regulation and targeted market engagement—a true success story in the evolving landscape of American gambling.