By The Associated Press and WPRO News
A casino in Rhode Island has become the first in New England to accept bets on professional sports.
Sports betting began at Twin River Casino’s Lincoln location Monday.
Rhode Island is the first New England state to legalize sports betting since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal law this year that made most sports gambling illegal.
The state’s legislative leaders, Democratic Senate President Dominick Ruggerio and Democratic House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello, placed ceremonial first bets with John Taylor, chairman of Twin River Worldwide Holdings. Any winnings from their bets will be donated to the Rhode Island chapter of the American Red Cross, the Cranston Animal Shelter, and the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, on top of money Twin River already pledged them.
Ruggerio and Mattiello acknowledged that betting was supposed to being October 1st. Mattiello said the legislature will account for any lost revenue resulting from the delay, and Ruggerio said it’s possible that revenue could be made up.
“It depends on how successful the local teams are here. If they all get into the playoffs, I think that will generate a lot of activity and a lot of interest, and if that happens, I think we have an opportunity to capture some of the revenue that we anticipated that we were going to lose,” Ruggerio said.
Asked why the delay occurred, a Twin River spokesperson said “All of the partners wanted to make sure we got it right as it’s an important program for the state.”
About 50 people lined up during the ceremony to wager too. Many were betting on Monday night football and on the Boston Celtics.
Bob Reynolds came from Hanson, Massachusetts to be one of the first to place bets.
“This is the opening. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time, and I wasn’t going to miss it,” he said
