IGT sole runner for Rhode Island sportsbetting?

International Game Technology (IGT) is reportedly the only bidder in contention following a tender process launched by the Rhode Island Lottery for sportsbetting operations.

IGT who already runs Rhode Island Lottery’s electronic systems, competed against a reported eighteen expressions of interest from other potential bidders at a pre-bid conference but was the only firm to formally submit a bid by the deadline, the Rhode Island Lottery said.

Paul Grimaldi, the Public Information Officer at Rhode Island’s Department of Revenue said the Rhode Island Lottery would have welcomed additional bids but wasn’t going to speculate on why there weren’t other formal submissions.

According to Grimaldi, IGT’s bid is currently being reviewed for basic requirements by the Rhode Island  Technical Review Committee.

Any sportsbetting would initially be run by state-controlled sports books through two casinos in the state, however, Government officials haven’t ruled out an expansion to online gambling in the long term.

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