Sportsbook Update – Case Against Rhode Island Sports Betting Still Alive

After a Superior Court judge ruled in favor of Dr. Daniel Harrop, the case against Rhode Island sports betting will proceed. The former Providence mayoral candidate produced proof that betting on sport harmed him.

In September, a Rhode Island court dismissed Harrop’s case. Harrop filed the lawsuit because he said he was traumatized by sports betting. After the dismissal of the case, Harrop submitted proof that he bet on a New England Patriots game in 2018. As a result, the case proceeded in favor of Harrop.

Harrop argued that Rhode Island sports betting needs voters’ approval. However, the staff of Governor Gina Raimondo said that sports betting was already covered by the referendums approving casino gaming in 2012 and 2016.

Rhode Island Sports Betting

After the Supreme Court made sports betting legal in the US, some states asked their citizens to vote on the issue. However, other states made the activity legal through legislation. Also, some states defined sports betting as part of a traditional casino offering, such as table games.

According to a political forum, some states concluded that sports betting is not related to traditional gaming options. As a result, they treat it as a separate entity to casino gaming. For instance, sports betting legislation in Florida is not going anywhere because it is part of casino gaming. Florida voters voted against gambling expansion during the 2018 mid-term election.

In Rhode Island, Harrop wants to push his case. He wants state constitution experts to look at the validity of Rhode Island sports betting. He told pay per head providers that he wants voters to have a say on the topic.

Rhode Island is the first Northeast state to legalize sports betting. It launched sports wagering in 2018. However, it hasn’t earned the revenue lawmakers were hoping for, according to bookie solutions archives.