PUERTO RICO—Puerto Rico allows betting on cockfights, bolitas, and various other forms of gambling, including full-scale casinos with an unusual twist: the slot machines are owned and operated by the Commonwealth government itself.

Lottery: Sales prohibited to persons under 18. Puerto Rico Laws title 15 §§809 and 814.

Pari-mutuel betting: No age limit is mentioned in the statute. The state's racing commissioners report the minimum age as being 18. Association of Racing Commissioners International, Inc., Pari-Mutuel Racing: 1996 at 59.

Casinos: "No gambling room shall be permitted to advertise or otherwise offer their facilities to the public of Puerto Rico; or to admit persons under 18 years of age." Puerto Rico Laws title 15 §77. Despite the obvious infringement on free speech, this statute was declared constitutional by the United States Supreme Court in Posadas de Puerto Rico Assoc. v. Tourism Co., 478 U.S. 328, 92 L.Ed.2d 266, 106 S.Ct. 2968 (1986).

Bingo: Puerto Rico Laws title 15 §71 equates bingo to other gambling games such as roulette, dice, and cards, thus bingo would be governed under §77's 18-year-old age limit.

RHODE ISLAND—The Rhode Island state lottery operates video lottery terminals at racetracks.

Lottery: "No person under the age of eighteen (18) years may play a video lottery game authorized by this chapter, nor shall any licensed video lottery retailer knowingly permit a minor to play a video lottery machine or knowingly pay a minor with respect to a video lottery credit slip. Violation of this section shall be punishable by a fine of five hundred dollars ($500)." Lottery tickets may not be sold to anyone under 18, but adults may give tickets as gifts to minors. Lottery agents must be over 21. General Laws of Rhode Island §42-61.2-5, 11-19-32, and 42-61-9.

Pari-mutuel: Licensees may not admit anyone under 18 into a building where pari-mutuel betting or simulcast is taking place, nor knowingly permit any minor to be a patron of the pari-mutuel system or any other betting system. General Laws of Rhode Island §§41-4-2 and 41-11-4.

Bingo and pull-tabs: Anyone under 18 is not permitted to play. General Laws of Rhode Island §11-19-32.