IGT To Launch Sports Betting In Rhode Island

International gaming company and provider of leading industry products and services, IGT, has chosen the U.S. state of Rhode Island to launch a sports betting business, as it represents the only company that officially submitted a bid. The award-winning leader in iGaming has issued a request last month along with 18 other companies. Nonetheless, the concern set a strong foothold in the Ocean State, since it not only managed to bid in time, but also has a long history with the state’s Lottery and its electronic systems.

Paul Grimaldi, the Lottery spokesman, said that the state expected more bidders after the Supreme Court overturned the sports betting ban but didn’t want to speculate why more requests weren’t submitted. IGT’s application will be reviewed by the committee, which will determine if basic requirements have been fully met, such as the capability to adapt to future additions of sports wagering.

Grimaldi added that many companies submitted proposals to run sports betting services at the Twin River casinos. However, bidders were also encouraged to propose strategies and ways of expanding the technology in sports wagering. The next stage of the bidding process includes a potential rejection if flaws are discovered. In that case, the casinos located in Lincoln and Tiverton would not be able to accept the bets nor set the odds.

A lot is at stake, as initial budget calculations could generate some $23.5 million in revenue for Rhode Island. IGT CEO, Marco Sala, confirmed the company’s well-being and said that it develops a strong interest in sports betting opportunities across the U.S. The group is active in other fields as well, as last year’s supply contracts with Konami successfully extended the supplier’s bingo platform and patented features as well.