President Ruggerio issues statement on lawsuit over sports wagering

(PRESS RELEASE) -- Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio issued the following statement today in response to a threat, via news release, of a lawsuit over the state’s sports wagering law by state Republican Party Chairman Brandon Bell:

“I am surprised that the chairman of a party that claims to support lower taxes and greater individual liberties would challenge the sports wagering law. Sports gaming has been a very popular entertainment option that many Rhode Islanders, as well as visitors from out of state, have embraced. The revenue from sports wagering supports critical state services, like road and bridge repairs, education and human services, while offsetting reliance on taxes. The timing of this stunt is very curious, as it has been almost a year since sports wagering was enacted into law. All of the legal advice I have seen has been consistent that voters approved sports betting when they approved casino gaming, and I am very confident that the state would prevail in any challenge.”