Rhode Island Regulators Tighten Rules on Online Casino Bonus Advertising

29 October 2026

Rhode Island is overhauling its advertising rules for online casino bonus promotions to better protect consumers. In a move aimed at increasing transparency and reducing harmful gambling behaviors, state regulators are cracking down on the language and accessibility of bonuses and promotional offers by online casinos.

What Has Changed in Rhode Island's Policies?

Rhode Island first legalized iGaming in 2023 with Senate Bill 0948, which puts the Rhode Island Lottery in charge of overseeing online casino games. Rhode Island's iGaming law mandates that platform vendors must provide clearly displayed information regarding wagering rules, payouts, deposits, and withdrawals on their online casino sites.

The regulatory changes center on promotions, bonuses, and how they are advertised to the public. After observing practices in other casino markets, Rhode Island regulators determined they needed clearer guidelines for online casino promotions to better protect the state's players.

Why Are Regulators Acting?

Regulators are taking action primarily to protect consumers. Rhode Island's online gambling scorecard notes that while the state requires problem gambling helpline information in advertisements, there are few restrictions on promotional language. To improve player protections, regulators are proposing stricter requirements for bonus advertising.

The market context also plays a role. Online gambling in Rhode Island is operated exclusively by Bally's, with 61% of slots revenue and 15.5% of table games revenue going to the state. While new to online gaming, Rhode Island's market has seen limited promotional activity from Bally's so far.

What Is Already Covered by Current Rules?

Some safeguards for online casino advertising already exist in Rhode Island. Advertising is only permitted for licensed games of chance, and internet use is restricted to licensed activity. Current rules also tie bonus and promotion terms to formal regulations, and allow sports-wagering vendors to offer promotions or bonuses.

What May Get Tighter?

Regulators want to restrict certain types of language in online casino bonus advertising. Early proposals suggested limiting risk-free and wager-free terms in bonus language. While these specific references were removed from later drafts, the intent remains to ensure bonus terms clearly specify benefits to players.

The proposed rules also aim to make responsible gambling information more prominent in bonus ads, bringing Rhode Island in line with other states' standards for casino advertising.

What This Means for Rhode Island Casino Players

Online casino players in Rhode Island should expect more transparent bonus offers. Promises about potential winnings may require clearer explanations of how bonuses work. Responsible gambling information may become more visible in ads to raise player awareness.

Bally's has not yet launched any promotions for its Rhode Island online casinos, so it's unclear whether changes will happen quickly or gradually. Regardless of timing, players will likely see bonuses and promotions become more cautious and transparent.