Earlier this month, Rhode Island made it possible for residents to place sports wagers from the comfort of their home. This is because of the launch of their mobile sports betting apps which took place on September 4. However, is the Rhode Island Mobile Betting Apps legal? This is what a lawsuit brought against the state is asking.
According to the latest pay per head service news, former Providence GOP mayoral candidate Daniel Harrop does not think so. This is why he has brought a lawsuit against the state of Rhode Island. This is because he believes mobile sports betting is a violation of the state’s constitution.
The constitution of Rhode Island says that the residents have the right to vote on any gambling expansion. Thus, he believes that you can’t “ignore (it) if somebody tries to take away your right to vote”. However, he says that he is not an opponent of gambling since he does gamble himself. He just wants to make sure that citizens do not have their constitutional rights taken away from them.
Is Mobile Sports Betting Legal in Rhode Island or Not?
There is no question that sports betting is legal in Rhode Island. This is because a statewide referendum was made and residents made their votes in favor of it. However, this does seem to be different from what the RI constitution actually says.
However, Paul Grimaldi, of the Rhode Island Department of Revenue says otherwise. He says it is legal and that the requirements from the state have been met. This is because “the technology is located in those two places, and the bets flow through those two physical locations.”
The final decision will be made later this week about the legality of mobile sports betting in Rhode Island. Earlier this month, a judge made a ruling that Harrop did not have the standing to bring up this case. He made his decision because Harrop did not receive personal harm from the sports betting expansion.
However, Harrop came back saying that he did lose $20 from a bet he made on the Patriots last year. Thus, he resubmitted his lawsuit and is now awaiting a decision from the Attorney General’s office in Rhode Island. According to Kristy dosReis, the public information office for the Attorney General the case status is now under review.
Gambling providers and Sportsbook Pay Per Head companies are keeping a close eye on the case. This is because it may affect their bottom line and expansion in the state of Rhode Island.
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