Woonsocket Radio News Room

 

Auditor General issues audit report for Rhode Island Lottery for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023

 

STATE HOUSE – The Rhode Island Lottery paid $434.7 million to the State’s General Fund for the year ended June 30, 2023, representing the Lottery’s net income after payment of prize awards, commissions, other costs of gaming operations, and operating expenses. Lottery revenue, including gaming activity at the Lottery’s two casinos, continued to experience significant recovery during fiscal 2023 compared to 2022. The fiscal 2023 transfer to the State increased $46.0 million over the previous fiscal year.

The Lottery’s financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023, and the Independent Auditor’s Report thereon are included in a report issued by Auditor General David A. Bergantino and released today by the Joint Committee on Legislative Services. The auditors concluded that the Lottery’s financial statements were fairly presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

The Lottery’s gross profit from gaming operations before operating expenses totaled $446.1 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023. Video lottery accounted for $320.5 million or 71.9% of total gross profit. Net video lottery revenue increased by approximately 10.6% compared to the prior year.

Online games gross profit totaled $50.9 million or an increase of 14.4% mostly due to increased wagering on larger jackpot prize drawings for PowerBall® and Mega Millions®, three of which were more than $1 billion. Instant ticket games revenue decreased slightly resulting in $24.3 million in gross profit in fiscal 2023.

Net revenue from table games totaled $136.6 million for the year ended June 30, 2023. After commissions paid to the facilities and the towns, and related operating expenses, the State’s share of net revenue from table games amounted to $21.1 million.

Sportsbook gross profit totaled $25.5 million, after commissions, payouts, and marketing expenses, an increase of $5.7 million over the previous fiscal year. While Sportsbook wagering decreased slightly from fiscal 2022, net Sportsbook revenue (after prizes paid) increased $11.1 million as increases in mobile sports betting offset some of the reduction in on-premises wagering at Bally’s Twin River Lincoln Casino. Sportsbook wagering began in Massachusetts in the latter part of fiscal 2023 increasing overall regional competition for Sportsbook revenue.

The full report as well as a summary are available at the Auditor General’s website, http://www.oag.ri.gov/reports.html.

 

 

President Trump is suing the Wall Street Journal after it reported that he sent Jeffrey Epstein a letter for Epstein's 50th birthday. After the story was published last night, Trump called it fake, and immediately threatened to sue owner Rupert Murdoch. Today, he followed through on his threat, alleging libel against Murdoch, the Journal's publisher, Dow Jones, and the story reporters in a lawsuit filed in Florida. The alleged letter sent to the late sex-trafficker featured typewritten text surrounded by a drawing of a naked woman.        Reports indicate it was military-style ordnance that exploded and killed three L-A County Sheriff's deputies Friday morning. The explosion happened at a training facility and rocked the surrounding East L-A neighborhood. Law enforcement sources tell the L-A Times the device had been picked up Thursday in Santa Monica. The blast happened when the deputies were moving the ordnance in the training center's parking lot.        The Justice Department wants a federal judge to unseal grand jury testimony regarding the Jeffrey Epstein case. In Friday's filing, the DOJ said releasing the evidence was "a matter of public interest." This comes a day after President Trump directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to have "pertinent" grand jury testimony released. It could take months for the records to be released.        A Minnesota lawmaker has been convicted of burglary. Democratic State Senator Nicole Mitchell was accused of breaking into her stepmother's Detroit Lakes home last year. Defense attorneys argued their client went to the residence only to check on her stepmother because of concerns about her Alzheimer's. It's unclear if she will continue to serve in the state Senate, where her party holds a one seat majority.        Travelers entering the U.S. will soon have to pay more. Visitors will now be subject to a "visa integrity fee" of 250 dollars. The new fee was included in the recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act. It applies to all visitors who need non-immigrant visas to enter. That includes tourists, business travelers and international students. It's not clear when the extra fee starts.        American songwriter Alan Bergman is dead at 99. Bergman and his wife, Marilyn, wrote lyrics for Academy Award-winning songs like "The Way We Were" for the film of the same name and "The Windmills of Your Mind," featured in "The Thomas Crown Affair." They also co-wrote the song "Never Say Never Again," the theme for the James Bond film. The Bergmans won three Oscars, as well as several Grammys and Emmys, over their decades-long career.       

Old News Archives