Rhode Island Senate passes legislation to allow betting on in-state college teams

SB3 will now go to the House Finance Committee.

US.- The Rhode Island Senate has approved SB3, filed by Senate president Dominick Ruggerio. The bill would allow sports betting on in-state collegiate teams, something that has been prohibited since the legalisation of sports betting in 2018. The bill will now go to the House Finance Committee.

SB3 would allow betting on collegiate team events in tournaments with four or more teams either in Rhode Island or in which a Rhode Island collegiate team participates. The bill defines collegiate sports tournaments as “a series of collegiate sports or athletic events involving four or more collegiate teams that make up a single unit of competition.” Tournaments include pre-season invitationals, conference tournaments, and NCAA tournaments, such as March Madness.

SB3’s journey through the Senate took over two months, first being introduced to the Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs Committee on January 10. It was held for further study before being passed through the committee on March 22.

The bill has not been scheduled for a specific date in the House Finance Committee, but the Rhode Island House schedule states that any bills that aim to pass this session must leave the committee by April 11.

Senate president Ruggerio told local media that the measure will “boost the state’s revenues” and hinted that it is in response to the opening of the Massachusetts sports betting market, which allows Rhode Islanders to pass over the border to bet on college sports. 

“I think it’s something that will raise revenue next year,” Ruggerio said. “I’m also looking at igaming. I think that will be a substantial revenue generator down the line where people can stay at home and basically do everything similar to what they do on sports betting.”

See also: Rhode Island sports betting revenue reaches $3.6m in February