Raimondo testifies in favor of IGT deal

GOV. GINA M. RAIMONDO testified Tuesday in favor of a negotiated 20-year contract with IGT to continue to manage the state lottery.
GOV. GINA M. RAIMONDO testified Tuesday in favor of a negotiated 20-year contract with IGT to continue to manage the state lottery.

PROVIDENCE – Gov. Gina M. Raimondo on Tuesday urged members of the  House Committee on Finance to support her proposed 20-year lottery contract extension with International Game Technology PLC.

The governor advocated not putting out the contract to a competitive bid, saying that this could risk over 1,000 jobs in the state. She said that an IGT executive told her that the company would seriously consider moving their United States headquarters if they did not receive the lottery contract in the state.

Raimondo noted that IGT’s acquisition of GTECH makes the company the “home team.”

IGT and Twin River Worldwide Holdings Inc. have been waging a public battle over the contract, with Twin River calling for a bid process. Twin River has also proposed that it team up with Camelot Lottery Solutions to oversee the lottery for the state. Twin River has been criticizing the no-bid process as unfair. Raimondo and IGT have refuted the depiction, calling the deal fair.

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Raimondo noted that lottery dealings in Rhode Island have typically not gone out to competitive bid, including a previous deal with Twin River and the GTECH deal in 2003 (currently still in effect). Raimondo was not asked questions at the hearing, though some were directed to her staff.

The governor noted in her testimony that she believed that a review by the General Assembly was necessary and thanked members for taking the time to review the deal.

The Senate is also holding hearings on the proposed contract extension.

Chris Bergenheim is the PBN web editor. You may reach him at Bergenheim@PBN.com.

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