Bally’s Lincoln Review for May 2026

Rhode Island is not a state that gets much credit in the national casino conversation. Connecticut has the enormous Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun. Massachusetts has Encore Boston Harbor. 

But for residents of Providence and the surrounding communities, Bally's Lincoln has been the local gaming destination since it first introduced video lottery terminals to the Lincoln Downs racetrack in September 1992. It made history again in November 2018 when it became the first casino in Rhode Island to offer sports betting. And in 2024 it launched Rhode Island's first online casino app, cementing its position as the most progressive gaming operation in the state.

The property has a layered history worth appreciating. Lincoln Downs opened as a horse racing track in 1947, greyhound racing followed, simulcasting arrived in the early 1990s, electronic gaming grew from 189 machines to thousands, live table games were added in 2013 after a statewide referendum, and Bally's Corporation took ownership and rebranded the property in 2020. The result is a casino that has genuinely grown with its community rather than being parachuted into it.

Bally's Lincoln sits at 100 Twin River Road in Lincoln, Rhode Island, accessed easily via Route 116 from I-295 and Route 99. From downtown Providence the drive takes around 15 minutes. T.F. Green Airport in Warwick is approximately 25 minutes south. Free parking is available across large surface lots on the property. The casino operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The gaming floor covers 202,000 square feet, one of the largest in New England, across a complex that has grown organically through multiple expansion phases over three decades. The most recent major addition in April 2023 added 40,000 square feet of new gaming space including a first-class high-limit area, stadium-style gaming, and the Emerald Bay Food Hall.

Both smoking and non-smoking gaming sections are available, which distinguishes Bally's Lincoln from Massachusetts competitors where state law requires fully smoke-free environments. The layout reflects the property's layered history. It is functional and spacious rather than architecturally coherent, but the sheer scale of the floor means there is plenty of room to find your preferred environment.

One Rhode Island-specific quirk worth knowing: the slots at Bally's Lincoln are operated and monitored by the Rhode Island Lottery rather than by the casino itself. Payout data is publicly available at rilot.com, which provides a level of transparency that is less common in other markets.

Table Games

With 110 live table games, Bally's Lincoln has one of the most comprehensive table game lineups in New England. The selection includes:

• Blackjack
• Craps
• Roulette
• Baccarat
• Three Card Poker
• Spanish 21
• Let It Ride
• Pai Gow Poker
• Big Six Money Wheel

A dedicated high-limit gaming area opened as part of the 2023 expansion serves premium players. The 2023 addition also introduced 27 stadium-style gaming positions, which provide an electronic table game experience with lower minimums for players who prefer that format.

Poker

The 32-table poker room is one of the larger poker facilities in New England, running Texas Hold'Em cash games and tournaments around the clock. It is a well-established room with a loyal regular following from across Rhode Island and neighboring Massachusetts.

Slots

With 3,900 slot machines spread across both smoking and non-smoking sections, Bally's Lincoln has the largest slot floor in Rhode Island. The selection covers the full range of penny games through to high denomination machines, with the dedicated high-limit area providing premium options for bigger stakes players. The Rhode Island Lottery's oversight of the slot operation means payout data is publicly transparent.

Sportsbook

The Bally Sportsbook made history as Rhode Island's first retail sportsbook when it opened in November 2018, and it has been the state's primary sports betting destination ever since. The facility covers all major professional and college sports with live betting, futures, parlays, and same-game parlays available. Mobile sports betting is available throughout Rhode Island via the Bally Bet app. In 2024, Bally's also launched Rhode Island's first online casino iGaming experience, allowing Rhode Island residents to play slots and table games anywhere in the state via desktop or mobile app.

Racebook

The racebook at Bally's Lincoln is one of the more unique features of the property, a legacy of the Lincoln Downs racing heritage that dates back to 1947. Simulcasting of thoroughbred and greyhound racing from tracks across the country runs throughout the year, providing a genuinely different betting environment from the casino floor for visitors who enjoy the racing form.

Rewards Club

Bally Rewards is the property's loyalty program, free to join and earning points through gaming, dining, and hotel stays across all Bally's properties. Points are redeemable for free play, dining, hotel stays, and entertainment. The program integrates with the broader Bally's network of properties across the United States.

The hotel at Bally's Lincoln has 136 rooms. The rooms are well-appointed with Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, pillowtop mattresses, 49-inch LED TVs, and in-room safes. An indoor pool is available for hotel guests, operating daily with sun loungers. The lobby fireplace and garden areas give the property a warmer feel than the scale of the casino floor might suggest.

Where to Eat

Bally's Lincoln has 16 dining outlets and 8 bars, one of the larger dining lineups of any casino resort in New England. This includes:

Fred and Steve's Steakhouse is the culinary centerpiece, an award-winning steakhouse and seafood restaurant that draws diners who are not necessarily casino guests. Wicked Good Bar and Grill is the lively sports bar option with a broad casual menu. The Emerald Bay Food Hall, opened in April 2023 with 150 seats, brings traditional and modern Asian-inspired cuisine to the property in a relaxed communal setting. Lighthouse Bar is a notable addition to any visit, offering free live concerts on a regular schedule, an unusual and genuinely appreciated amenity in a casino of this size.

Pool and Spa

An indoor pool is available for hotel guests. There is no full-service spa at Bally's Lincoln.

Entertainment

The 29,000-square-foot Event Center hosts headline entertainment including concerts, comedy acts, and major events throughout the year. Free live concerts at the Lighthouse Bar provide entertainment on a more casual and accessible basis without the need for a ticket. The racebook provides a unique entertainment dimension through its year-round simulcast racing program.

Bally's Lincoln also holds a place in film history as the location where the opening boxing scene of Bleed for This, the 2016 boxing biopic starring Miles Teller as Providence's own Vinny Paz, was filmed.

Bally's Lincoln is Rhode Island's premier casino destination and one of the largest gaming floors in New England. The 202,000-square-foot complex, the 110 table games, the 32-table poker room, the pioneering sportsbook, and the racebook give it a breadth of gaming options that covers almost every betting preference. The dining lineup with 16 outlets is impressive, and Fred and Steve's Steakhouse holds its own against any comparable restaurant in the region.

The property's evolution from a 1947 horse racing track to a full-scale casino resort is a remarkable story, and its willingness to lead on regulatory milestones (first sportsbook in Rhode Island, first online casino in the state) reflects an operation that takes its position seriously. For Providence residents, it is the most accessible and complete gaming destination available, and for visitors to Rhode Island, it is worth factoring into any itinerary that has room for an evening at the tables.