Rhode Island is the only New England state currently offering sports betting. The app is being tested this week near the Massachusetts and Connecticut borders to ensure bets can’t be placed across states lines, as required by law, and that the service is available from as many locations within the state as possible, Grimaldi said. The casino is in Tiverton, Rhode Island, near the Massachusetts border. The state’s goal is to launch mobile betting next week at the other Rhode Island casino offering sports betting, Twin River’s Tiverton Casino Hotel, after testing is complete. Then, they can place wagers from anywhere in Rhode Island. Gamblers have to activate their mobile accounts in person in Lincoln with a photo ID so the casino can verify they’re at least 18 years old and that they and aren’t banned from the property for a past violation.

Several hundred people signed up, Grimaldi said, and he’d “bet” that a lot of gamblers will create accounts on Sunday before the New England Patriots take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in the regular-season opener Sunday night. “We promised to get this done by the start of the NFL season and we’ve accomplished that.” “This is a milestone for us,” he said Thursday, as reported by the Associated Press. Paul Grimaldi, spokesman for the revenue department, described it as a “soft launch,” and he said that from the state’s perspective, things went well. The department said Thursday there were no major issues, although some gamblers found the casino application slow to load. The mobile application launched Wednesday at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, according to the state revenue department. Rhode Island launched mobile sports betting at one casino and plans to add it to a second casino next week.

There is a pending legal challenge against Rhode Island sports betting, arguing the state’s constitution requires voter authorization.

Gamblers have to activate their mobile accounts in person at one of both casinos, and then they can place wagers from anywhere in the state.

Twin river casino property map