PROVIDENCE, RI - In the lead-up to his 2025 State of the State Address, Governor Dan McKee and the Rhode Island Department of Revenue (DOR) are highlighting the accomplishments made by the agency in 2024, including celebrating the Rhode Island Lottery’s 50th anniversary with a year-long series of special games and events as it once again played an integral part of the Rhode Island economy.

As part of the DOR, the Lottery generates a significant amount of revenue for the State of Rhode Island while providing customers enjoyable and fair games along with millions of dollars in prizes each year. 

"2024 was yet another big year for the Department of Revenue with new programs, added incentives, and a major milestone for our state's Lottery," said Governor Dan McKee. "As we turn the page to 2025, I'm excited to continue this momentum and support for Rhode Islanders, our businesses, and our economy."

“The Lottery marked a significant milestone in 2024, continuing its long history as a welcome entertainment option for Rhode Islanders,” said DOR Director Thomas A. Verdi of the Lottery’s 50th anniversary. “Lottery operations demonstrate the trust and transparency vital to all six divisions of the Department of Revenue's mission, which guide the daily conduct of our nearly 600 employees.”

The Lottery started in 1974 with just one 50-cent game, called The Lot. The Lot game had drawings once a week, with the first drawing held on the steps of the State House with nearly 1,000 people in attendance.? Fast forward to 2024 and it now offers four Rhode Island-based draw games (Keno, Bingo, Numbers, and Wild Money), three Multi-State draw games (Powerball, Mega Millions, and Lucky for Life), sports betting, iGaming, and more than 90 Instant and e-Instant Games, while also overseeing the state’s two casinos.

Over the course of its history, the Lottery has contributed approximately $9 billion to the state’s General Fund, paid more than $6 billion to local businesses in the form of commissions and advertising payments, sponsored local and regional sports teams, and paid more than $57 billion in prizes to winners.

Other DOR accomplishments in 2024 include:

• More than 169,000 unique customers have accessed the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) online customer portal to renew registrations, request duplicate registration certificates, and cancel license plates.
• As 2024 closes, the DMV enters the last month of its license plate re-issuance program, which will distribute new plate sets for approximately 750,000 vehicles.
• The Central Collections Unit (CCU) collected more than $3.2 million in delinquent debt in FY 2024.
• The Office of Revenue Analysis produced ten tax-incentive evaluation reports and the 400-page Tax Expenditures Report in 2024.
• The Division of Municipal Finance implemented the $50,000 tangible personal property program and successfully reimbursed all municipalities and eligible fire districts for the lost revenue.
• The Division of Taxation collected more than $5.2 billion dollars in FY24.
• The Division of Taxation hosted two public taxpayer compliance day events in 2024.
• As part of Governor McKee and the First Lady's Litter-Free Rhode Island program, the DMV added anti-litter content to the State Driver’s Manual in 2024 which informs Rhode Islanders of the environmental and transportation impacts littering has across the state. The DMV has also purchased an initial 5,000 ‘litter bags’ to encourage drivers from throwing litter, trash, and debris out the window. Additionally, the DMV and the Governor’s Office created anti-litter videos that are currently on display at DMV locations across Rhode Island.

DOR is a critical entity within state government as it impacts every Rhode Islander in each city and town. The department employs more than 500 individuals who work in six agencies and collect more than $5 billion in revenue annually.

The department consists of six divisions: Division of Taxation, Division of Motor Vehicles, Rhode Island Lottery, Office of Revenue Analysis, Division of Municipal Finance, and Central Collections Unit.