Following Rhode Island’s announcement that its total betting handle in January brought in over $150.9 million, the Ocean State’s gambling industry had an incredible start to 2025.
In the meantime, the state’s gaming revenues generated more than $434 million in 2024, according to the office of the Auditor General.
With only 1.1 million people living in Rhode Island, the revenue figures for January are startling.
To put these figures in perspective, during the same time period, Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania reported revenues of $331.2 million, $210.1 million, and $529.1 million, respectively. However, the population of each of these states is almost ten times that of Rhode Island.
Last year, the Rhode Island Lottery, which runs the state’s only authorized online sportsbook platform, made a lot of money. In 2024, its casino and video lottery operations brought in more than $320.5 million.
In 2024, 71.9% of Rhode Island’s total gaming income came from the well-known video lottery machines.
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The increased interest in national lottery games like Powerball and Mega Millions, which saw three jackpots totaling more than $1 billion last year, contributed to Rhode Island’s high earnings relative to its population.
However, after making a significant contribution to the state’s gambling revenue, which totaled an amazing $50.9 million, online casino games and table games like roulette, poker, and blackjack also had a say.
Last but not least, industry insiders highlight the significant tax contribution made by sports betting, even if its earnings only made up 9.6% of the state’s gambling income over the same time period.
Considering that Rhode Island has one of the highest tax rates in the nation, which amounts to a 51% tax on the profits from sports betting.
The Ocean State has rightfully been hailed as one of America’s gambling success stories when you consider its tax-generating system and its remarkable gross gaming earnings per capita.
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