While there are still many businesses trying to find their way in these uncertain times and get back to some sense of normalcy, it seems that the sports betting industry is not only doing fine but is flourishing in Rhode Island.
During the month of July the state saw a 231.5% increase in total handle. Much of that is being attributed to the facts that in-person registration was lifted and most of the casinos re-opened.
While June brought in just $2 million dollars, July saw $6.5 million dollars. It’s the kind of month that industry experts were hoping for but weren’t entirely sure would happen.
Mobile Wagering Proved to Be the Big Winner
When looking at the stats a little more closely, the real winner for July was mobile wagering. As mentioned, the in-person registration requirement was lifted, which meant people could create accounts from their own home and not have to venture out to casinos.
This opened up the door to all kinds of sports betting opportunities and proved to be a smart move on behalf of Rhode Island.
The mobile wagering handle was $2.1 million in June and then more than doubled in July with a sports handle of $4.4 million. That’s a 109.5% increase in one month, this according to reports released by the Rhode Island Lottery.
If you look back to July 2019, the big difference was that mobile sports betting hadn’t yet been offered. Now, one year later, it’s making up 654% of the total sports handle. Making mobile sports betting available at all has been another big win for the state.
It’s all about convenience and a high-level of customer engagement. Mobile sports betting is able to attract a larger crowd that wasn’t necessarily going to the casinos beforehand.
Lifting In-Person Registration Also Done in July
Eliminating in-person registration was suggested by Governor Gina Raimondo on July 22nd. What that means is that August could potentially be even better for mobile betting since it will reflect a full month of online registration.
Ultimately, two bills were required in order to eliminate the standing requirement of in-person registration.
The way it stands now is that residents can place sports bets from any location they like in the state, including from the comfort of their own home.
However it’s not all good news in the state. Unfortunately, Twin River Casino Hotel and Tiverton Casino Hotel, both owned by Twin River Worldwide Holdings, has said it may be necessary to furlough up to 1,300 employees by the end of the month.
Obviously, much of that will depend on how strong the gaming market is and how much interest there will be in the casinos over the next few months.
Rick Rockwell
As a longtime freelance writer, avid sports fan, former athlete, and experienced sports bettor, Rick Rockwell has risen up the ranks at GamblingSites.org to become the self-professed “King of the Blog” in his first year with the site. …
