Rhode Island Casino Revenue Up 5.6% in May as Smoking Ban Passes

Rhode Island’s two commercial casinos generated over $59 million in revenue in May 2025, an increase of 5.6% compared to May 2024. According to data from the Rhode Island Lottery, this was primarily driven by the growth of video lottery terminals (VLTs). VLT revenue rose 8.2% from $44.2 million last May to $47.8 million this year.  

This helped to mitigate the effect of a decline in table games revenue, which dipped from $11.7 million last May to $11.2 million this year. 

Twin Rivers Leads the Way

Bally’s Twin Rivers is still the dominant force in the state’s retail casino sector, accounting for $44.9 million of May’s total revenue, or a market share of roughly 76%, while Bally’s Tiverton produced $14.1 million.

VLTs were the key revenue for both venues, accounting for 79% of Twin River’s revenue and nearly 87% of Tiverton’s. Still, Bally’s Tiverton took the most significant hit in table game revenue. Its revenues dropped from $2.2 million in May 2024 to $1.8 million in May 2025.

Meanwhile, Bally’s Twin Rivers only saw table game revenues decline by 1.4%, falling from around $9.4 million to $9.3 million. 

Rhode Island will welcome the overall rise in revenues, as in April, the revenues dropped by 3.5% year over year. 

Lawmakers Confirm Smoking Ban

While Rhode Island casinos show revenue growth year over year, the state’s lawmakers have agreed to introduce legislation to prevent smoking in casinos.

SB 0188, sponsored by lawmakers including Representative V. Susan Sosnowski, eliminates the exemption that currently allows indoor smoking at gambling venues. That exemption was included in the original Public Health and Workplace Safety Act, which passed into law over twenty years ago, but it will no longer apply from July 1, 2027. However, gambling venues will be allowed to set up smoking rooms. 

The bill still needs approval from the governor before it becomes law. 

“Everyone deserves to breathe clean air in the workplace. Yes, we want a casino that’s making money because we depend on that revenue; but we want our workers to be strong, healthy, and vibrant as they’re making money for our state,” said Rep. Sosnowski, speaking about the passage of the bill last week. 

Long Campaign from Casino Workers

The new ban comes after years of campaigning from casino employees, who demanded the same protections as other workers in the state. The campaign gathered steam during the COVID-19 pandemic, when casinos enacted a temporary smoking ban, but that was lifted in 2022.

Bally’s Corporation, which runs both casinos in Rhode Island, has consistently opposed the complete ban because it would drive away some customers. However, in a statement, the company said that it appreciated the compromise of the smoking rooms and that the ban would not take effect for two years.