Judge rules sports gambling constitutional in R.I.



A Superior Court judge has denied former Providence mayoral candidate Daniel Harrop’s request for an injunction to stop sports betting in Rhode Island. Harrop had asked the court for summary judgment, without a full trial, on his claim that sports betting at the state’s two casinos and online violates the state’s Constitution

A Superior Court judge has denied former Providence mayoral candidate Daniel Harrop’s request for an injunction to stop sports betting in Rhode Island.

Harrop had asked the court for summary judgment, without a full trial, on his claim that sports betting at the state’s two casinos and online violates the state’s Constitution.

Harrop claimed that the implementation of sports betting violates Article 6, Section 22 of the Rhode Island Constitution, which requires voters to approve any expansion in the type or location of gambling allowed in the state.

Gov. Gina Raimondo’s administration argues that voters gave the go-ahead to sports betting when they approved table games and the opening of a Twin River Casino in Tiverton.

Judge Brian Stern agreed with the defendants, ruling that the voters had given their OK in 2012 and 2016.

The Court finds that based on the plain language of the Referenda Questions and the definition of casino gaming in the Handbooks, voters had ‘fair notice’ that they were broadly approving all casino gaming and any other game included within the definition of Class III gaming,” Stern wrote.

He added, “Voter approval of the Referenda Questions was not strictly limited to table games simply because table games were explicitly listed. Rather, voter approval encompassed all state-operated casino gaming.”

Harrop also claimed that through online betting, the state now allows sports betting to take place at any location in Rhode Island, not just the casinos. The state responded that all sports wagers must be placed on or accepted by a server at the Twin River facilities.

“The Court finds that the voters approved sports wagering at the Twin River Facilities, and the Sports Wagering Acts do not expand the locations of gambling which are permitted within the state; thus, the Sports Wagering Acts are constitutional,” Stern wrote.

This article is a reprint from ProvidenceJournal.com. To view the original story and comment, click here


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