Prominent gaming machine and systems innovator International Game Technology (IGT) has announced that it has been selected in partnership with the American subsidiary of British bookmaking giant William Hill to provide the Rhode Island Lottery with an end-to-end sportsbetting service.

Five-year deal:

The pair used an official Friday press release to publicize the five-year arrangement while detailing that they now plan to begin offering sportsbetting at the small eastern state’s Twin River Casino and soon-to-open Tiverton Casino Hotel by the middle of November.

Agreement may be extended:

Rome-headquartered IGT explained that the agreement, which may be extended by mutual consent for up to two successive five-year terms, is to see the coming Rhode Island sportsbetting service utilize its own platform with William Hill supplying operational and risk management services.

One of six states to have legalized sportsbetting:

Rhode Island is one of six states to have legalized sportsbetting in the wake of May’s decision from the United States Supreme Court to invalidate the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). Of these, only Delaware, New Jersey and Mississippi currently offer sportsbooks with West Virginia and Pennsylvania continuing the process of formulating suitable regulations.

Solution to ‘maximize sportsbetting revenues’:

Renato Ascoli, North America Chief Executive Officer for IGT, declared that the deal ‘uniquely positions’ his firm and William Hill to supply the Rhode Island Lottery with ‘a comprehensive and market-ready solution’ that will be designed to ‘maximize sportsbetting revenues and returns to good causes.’

Ascoli’s statement read…

“We are pleased that Rhode Island is the first lottery to set up sportsbetting operations post-PASPA. IGT is a leading and proven supplier of sportsbetting technology in the United States.”

For his part Joe Asher, Chief Executive Officer for William Hill US, described IGT as ‘a world-class gaming technology company’ before proclaiming that he ‘could not be more happy’ in partnering with the firm to supply Rhode Island with ‘a world-class sportsbetting solution.’