The Rhode Island live poker scene may be small, but you can find plenty of cash game and tournament action at the state’s casinos. Bally’s is in sole charge of the Rhode Island poker rooms.
Rhode Island has a tiny collection of casinos that offer live poker options. Only one of the two Bally’s properties has poker, but you can travel to neighboring states to find Hold’em and Omaha games.
Bally’s Twin River Lincoln underwent a huge expansion in 2023, but sadly the project didn’t include work on the cardroom. Despite the neglect, you can still play cash games in the 23-table poker room. No Limit Hold’em is the order of the day, and games range from $1/$2 NLHE to $5/$10 NLHE.
Bally’s Twin River Lincoln also offers promotions that add to the overall poker experience. The Bally’s Rewards program is a notable feature, providing players with the opportunity to earn points as they play. These points can be redeemed for a variety of benefits, adding an extra layer of incentive to the gameplay.
As for the hotel, it provides a comfortable and convenient stay for those who wish to prolong their poker experience. The entire hotel had a facelift in 2023, and there are now more suites, spas, and restaurants than ever before.
Bally’s has a monopoly on live poker in Rhode Island. Lincoln is your first port of call if you want to find real-money games throughout the week.
| Cardroom Name | Address | City | Phone Number |
| Bally’s Twin River Lincoln | 100 Twin River Road, Lincoln, RI 02865 | Lincoln | 1-844-9BALLYS |
Bally’s Twin River Lincoln offers mostly cash games. While the cardroom capacity is 23 tables, check the casino site before you leave to check whether they are operating a reduced service.
| Cardroom Name | Games Offered | Number of Tables | Major Events |
| Bally’s Twin River Lincoln | Texas Hold’em, Omaha, bad beat jackpots | 23 | n/a |
Several states adjoining Rhode Island have poker rooms. New York State is a longer drive, but you can still find several large casino resorts with cardrooms. Massachusetts and Connecticut are the best live poker options if you prefer a quick trip.
| Cardroom Name | Games Offered | Number of Tables | Major Events |
| Encore Boston Harbor | Hold’em, Omaha | 24 | n/a |
| MGM Springfield | Texas Hold’em, PLO, Survivor, bounties | 14 | n/a |
| Cardroom Name | Games Offered | Number of Tables | Major Events |
| Resorts World Catskills | Texas Hold’em, PLO, Stud | 19 | $100,000 Championship |
| Turning Stone Casino | Hold’em, PLO, bounties | 32 | WSOP Circuit |
| Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady | Texas Hold’em, PLO | 16 | WPT, WPTDeepStacks |
| Cardroom Name | Games Offered | Number of Tables | Major Events |
| Mohegan Sun | Hold’em, PLO, Razz, Stud, Crazy Pineapple, Triple Draw | 40+ | World Series of Poker Circuit |
| Foxwoods Resort Casino | Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Stud, Hi-Lo | 110 | World Poker Tour, WSOP Circuit |
You can stay the night at RI poker rooms that have hotels on-site. Bally’s Twin River Lincoln offers over 130 rooms and suites with private bathrooms.
| Casino Name | Number of Rooms |
| Bally’s Twin River Lincoln | 136 |
The Rhode Island gambling laws have progressed a lot in recent years. Poker is legal at one of the state’s licensed casinos.
Charitable gambling has a bigger hold in The Bay State. Rhode Island bingo is legal provided it’s conducted by a charity. Proceeds must go to charitable causes, though cash prizes are allowed. Rhode Island even has a Charitable Gaming Unit that ensures games are above board.
Charity poker nights used to be allowed under the law. However, the rules on “games of chance” were tightened in 1993. Only bingo and raffles are now allowed for charity gaming purposes. You can catch up on all US gambling laws by state with our guides.
For years, RI adhered to the Federal Wire Wager Act for direction on online gambling. Transactions to poker sites were also banned under the terms of UIGEA.
However, that has now changed and Rhode Island made online gambling legal in 2023. The first licensed gaming websites are likely to go live in 2024.
Other Rhode Island gambling guides:
Casinos in Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York offer a mix of tournaments and variants for cash game players.
Live poker in Rhode Island is mostly concentrated around Hold’em games. Texas Hold’em can be played as cash games or tournaments. In cash games, players exchange money for chips and can join or leave anytime. Tournaments have a fixed entry fee, and players compete until one player has all the chips, usually winning a large prize.
Pot Limit Omaha is a popular poker variant that is normally played as a cash game in Rhode Island poker rooms. Players are dealt four cards and must use two to make a hand. The main difference between Pot Limit and No Limit betting is that in Pot Limit, the maximum bet is the current size of the pot.
Stud isn’t readily available at any Rhode Island poker room. However, you can find 5-Card Stud and 7-Card Stud at the larger cardrooms in CT and NY. Games involve several rounds of betting with a series of up- and down-cards. The goal is to make the strongest 5-card hand possible.
The range of live poker options at Rhode Island casinos is limited. Bally’s has a monopoly over casinos in the state, so you’re beholden to their schedules if you’re hankering after tournaments or mixed games.
In Rhode Island, cash games start as soon as the cardroom opens. Stakes cater to most budgets, though even the largest cardroom only goes to $5/$10. There are no high-stakes cash games in Rhode Island.
You can play a different tournament every night if you’re willing to travel between Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York. Regular tournaments have low–medium buy-ins around the $125–$300 mark. You can also play for large guaranteed prizepools at select cardrooms.
You can play bounty tournaments at casinos outside Rhode Island. Each player has a bounty on their head, meaning when you knock someone out, you win a cash prize. This adds an extra layer of strategy and excitement to the tournament.
Live poker satellites are available wherever you find the WSOP Circuit. Normally, this is at casinos in states such as Connecticut and New York.
Satellite poker tournaments offer players a chance to win entry into larger, more expensive tournaments. Instead of a cash prize, the winner typically receives a ticket or seat to a high-stakes game. This makes satellites an affordable path to big poker events.
There are one or two special poker events if you’re willing to travel outside Rhode Island. Poker tournaments run weekly at most big cardrooms, but you can also play in pub poker games around RI.
The WSOPC runs every year at casinos in Connecticut and New York State. These are short series that mimic the much larger World Series of Poker in Vegas every summer. The Main Event has a buy-in of around $1,700.
The WPT runs championship events in Connecticut (Foxwoods Poker Classic) and smaller WPTDeepStacks tournaments at other casinos in the region.
The Eastern Poker Tour is focused on social games and runs regular tournaments around Massachusetts and Rhode Island. You play poker tournaments in pubs – mainly around Providence and larger hubs – while competing for a slice of the $300 guaranteed prizepool.
You can sign up for reward programs at casinos inside and outside Rhode Island. Poker play doesn’t always count toward earning loyalty points, so it pays to check the small print before you make the journey.
Bally’s (in Rhode Island), Encore (in Massachusetts), and Foxwoods (in Connecticut) run similar VIP programs for regular customers. You rack up loyalty points each time you play a raked pot or enter a tournament. You then exchange points for perks like free meals or hotel rooms.
In addition, a Rhode Island poker room may run daily promotions on its cash games. The casino sometimes juices the pots with added cash to make things more interesting.
Regular promotions change during the year. They include:
In 2023, Rhode Island passed SB 948 to become the seventh US state to offer regulated online casino games. As with the land-based casinos, Bally’s holds the monopoly on online slots and table games. However, you can still access poker sites based offshore. Read up on online gambling in Rhode Island with our guides:
Several poker pros have made their living from live poker in Rhode Island. Others have gone on to make it big at the tables of Las Vegas:
You are required to pay tax on any poker winnings in Rhode Island. The Division of Taxation is clear on the rules: you must pay 24% in federal income tax, on top of 5.99% state tax for personal income.
The casino will withhold the amount and issue you with a Form W-2G. The IRS will be informed, but it’s also your job to include the win on your annual tax statement. There is a section on your tax return to list all gambling winnings.
Online gambling is now legal in Rhode Island. Similarly, you will be liable for personal tax on any substantial wins over $1,200. We have a detailed online gambling tax guide showing you what you need to know.
Absolutely. Casino gaming was expanded in RI in 2007 following a public vote. Live poker in Rhode Island is now available at one casino: Twin River Lincoln.
Rhode Island has one licensed cardroom at Bally’s Twin River Lincoln. The cardroom there has 23 tables covering cash games and tournaments. You must be 21 or over to play real money games at Bally’s.
Twin River Casino was the first place in Rhode Island to offer poker following an expansion in 2007. The casino is a former race track in Lincoln that now boasts a 23-table cardroom running cash games and tourneys.
The Rhode Island Division of Lottery regulates land-based casinos and cardrooms in the state. It handles licensing, taxation, and responsible gambling at all legal casinos in RI. Check out more details with our US state and federal gaming commission directory.
Online poker is not regulated in the same way casino games and slots are. However, you can play at offshore poker sites that are licensed overseas. These online poker rooms offer a full schedule of tournaments and cash games to suit all budgets.
The minimum gambling age in Rhode Island is 21. You may need to provide ID when visiting a Rhode Island poker room to prove you are over 21.
There is no strict dress code at any of the Rhode Island live poker properties. However, smart-casual dress is recommended for restaurants and hotels.
No. There is limited availability at every Rhode Island poker room. Cash games start around 10 a.m. when the cardroom opens. Games and tournaments normally run until 2 a.m.
No. You must travel to nearby states to play WSOP Circuit tournaments. Foxwoods in Connecticut and Turning Stone in New York have hosted WSOPC events in recent years.
Yes. You may have to pay personal income tax on your poker winnings, in addition to federal income tax. The Rhode Island poker rooms will inform you if they are withholding tax and telling the IRS.
Yes. All Rhode Island cardrooms have responsible gambling procedures in place, including self-exclusion. You can also contact Problem Gambling Services at www.pgsri.org for information on therapy and courses.
Rhode Island doesn’t have any big-name poker pros. However, players like Aram Zobian and Soukha Kachittavong have won millions in prize money in tournaments and online games.
Yes. Bally’s casinos have some smoking areas but are smoke-free on certain levels. Smoking is usually prohibited from cardrooms in Rhode Island and states like Connecticut.
No. Freerolls are restricted to poker sites that offer welcome bonuses to new players. You earn a free tournament ticket when you open an account. The freeroll guarantees a few hundred dollars, all paid by the poker site.
Absolutely. Rhode Island casinos offer loyalty programs that reward you when you earn points on your play. Always check the terms on loyalty programs to see whether they are restricted to slots and table gameplay only.
No. At present, no new poker rooms are being built in Rhode Island. Bally’s has a monopoly over casinos in the state. There is just one poker room currently in operation, Bally’s Twin River Lincoln.
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