Online poker players in Rhode Island find themselves in a unique position. Even though Rhode Island legalized online poker in 2023, there are still no state-licensed sites operating in the Ocean State.
However, this doesn’t mean you’re entirely out of options for playing poker online. You can still play on a trusted sweepstakes site or sign up with a real-money offshore poker site.
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Great casino offer On this page, we’ll go more in-depth on Rhode Island’s peculiar online poker situation, as well as share our top picks for the best real-money and sweepstakes poker platforms. Read on to learn more!
Can I Play Online Poker in Rhode Island?
Yes, you can play online poker in Rhode Island. That said, while the Ocean State has legalized online poker, there are currently no state-licensed sites available. Until other options are introduced, you can currently play poker on sweepstakes sites using virtual currencies or on offshore platforms for real money.
Rhode Island Online Poker Facts
| Available options | Sweepstakes operators & offshore sites |
| State-regulated poker sites | Not available |
| Age limit for Rhode Island online poker | 21+ |
| Best RI poker site | CoinPoker |
Best Online Poker Sites in Rhode Island
Regardless of whether you’re more interested in exploring sweepstakes or offshore real-money poker sites, we’ve got you covered. Here are our top two recommendations for the best online poker platforms in Rhode Island:
#1. CoinPoker – The Best Pick for Rhode Island Players
Until Rhode Island introduces a state-regulated poker operator, CoinPoker remains the supreme real-money online poker site for players in Rhode Island. This cryptocurrency-focused offshore poker platform delivers the best all-around product, with strong features and quality software.
CoinPoker offers all of its new players a 150% welcome bonus worth up to $2,000, as well as 33% rakeback through its CHP coin. It has also created various daily and monthly leaderboards that reward the most active players.
You can currently find No Limit Hold’em, Pot Limit Omaha, and Pot Limit Omaha 5 variations available on its site. In terms of tournament action, CoinPoker currently offers heads-up, four-handed, and seven-handed tables.
#2 ClubWPT Gold – Quality Sweepstakes Platform Backed By WPT
If you want to go down the sweepstakes platform route, we recommend ClubWPT Gold as the best option for playing poker with virtual currencies. Backed by the world-renowned WPT brand, this recently launched site has already secured its place as the go-to option for casual players looking for soft action through games and tournaments available around the clock.
The platform currently only offers Texas Hold’em games, but you can find plenty of action across its 8-max and heads-up tables. ClubWPT Gold also provides solid value on the bonus front, delivering daily freerolls, as well as a free 15,000 GC and 2 SC welcome bonus.
Free Poker vs Real-Money Games
Real-money poker involves direct cash buy-ins and payouts and therefore requires state licensing, stringent age verification, AML controls, and consumer protections. Sweepstakes poker uses a promotional model with play credits and prize tokens, allowing operators to offer prize-eligible tournaments without being licensed as traditional gambling sites.
In Rhode Island, the legal framework now authorizes regulated online poker, so real-money operators can lawfully launch under state rules. Still, sweepstakes operators remain an alternative route for products that haven’t yet been regulated.
Sweepstakes Model Explained
Most sweepstakes poker sites use a dual-currency system, with “play” credits for casual games and promotional “sweepstakes” tokens that can be used in prize-eligible events. For example, you might buy a $30 bundle that credits 300,000 Gold Coins for social play and gives 30 Sweeps Coins for tournament entry.
If you use 5 Sweeps Coins to enter a tournament and win 60 Sweeps Coins, those 60 SC would typically be redeemable for about $60. This model is particularly popular in US states that haven’t legalized online poker, as it circumvents potential legal issues by operating under sweepstakes laws rather than gambling laws.
Regulation Landscape in Rhode Island
Rhode Island moved quickly from talk to law, passing the legislature via companion bills, SB 948 and HB 6348, in 2023. These bills legalized online gambling, covering table games, slots, and poker for players physically located in the state.
The act took effect in 2024. That made Rhode Island one of the few U.S. states to expressly permit regulated online poker under state oversight.
Early market rollout focused on casino and table-game products, as Bally’s launched an online casino offering slots and table games. Still, poker has been slower to appear on operator roadmaps, leading to the current situation in which online poker is legal but no operators yet offer games.