IGT and William Hill secure Rhode Island sports betting contract
Rhode Island Lottery has selected IGT and William Hill to provide legal sports betting services in the US state after confirming plans to introduce a regulated market later this year.
IGT and William Hill will supply end-to-end sports betting services at the Twin River Casino and Tiverton Casino, Rhode Island’s only licensed video lottery and table game establishments.
Hills revealed initial talks had taken place about a possible link-up with IGT in Rhode Island earlier this month.
The Lottery said such services should be available from November this year, as the state moves to capitalise on the Supreme Court’s ruling on PASPA.
Rhode Island becomes the latest state to announce plans for a regulated sports betting market in the wake of the decision, following the likes of New Jersey, Delaware and Mississippi.
Gerald Aubin, director of the Rhode Island Lottery, said: “It's an exciting time for the Rhode Island Lottery. With the introduction of legalised sports betting, we will leverage world-class resources and technology from IGT and William Hill to provide the best-possible sports betting experience for the patrons who visit our casinos.”
The Lottery’s contract with IGT and Hills runs for an initial five years from the date that the first sports wager is placed at either casino. The deal also includes the option to extend for two successive five-year terms.
Renato Ascoli, chief executive of IGT in North America, added: “IGT is a leading and proven supplier of sports betting technology in the US. The combination with William Hill, a leading sports betting operator in the US, uniquely positions us to provide the Rhode Island Lottery with a comprehensive, market-ready solution to maximise sports betting revenues and returns to good causes for the state of Rhode Island.”
Hills has been highly active in the US since the Supreme Court ruling in May and recently set out plans for a wide-ranging partnership with Penn National Gaming.
Last week, the bookmaker also picked up a sports betting licence in the state of Mississippi, and recently confirmed a partnership with an unnamed casino in West Virginia.
IGT has also been busy, last week obtaining an interim licence to provide its PlayShot integrated sports betting platform in West Virginia, with plans to seek similar approval in other states across the US.
Image: Morrow Long
