Mobile sports betting and iGaming recently launched in Delaware, and the state’s tax revenues are expected to soar because of it.
Rush Street Interactive Delivers
Rush Street Interactive (RSI) was named as the official vendor of the Delaware State Lottery and was hired to deliver a one-two gaming punch consisting of mobile sports betting and online casino gambling to those who want to try their luck and fill the state’s tax coffers at the same time.
RSI is using its familiar brand name, BetRivers, as its mobile sportsbook and iGaming app, which launched only a few weeks ago. Both are readily available to those who are 21 and over and are available on Android and iOS devices.
RSI was awarded the five-year contract with the state in August 2023, replacing 888 Holdings as the gaming company of record. Before mobile betting launched, sports betting was confined solely to the retail realm, where bettors could wager on games at any one of the three casinos in the state – Bally’s Dover, Delaware Park Casino, and Harrington Casino & Raceway.
Earlier this month, the Director of the Delaware Lottery, Helene Keeley, stated, “We launched last Wednesday so not quite a full week but for the iGaming we had about $16.6 million wager, and in the sports we had about almost $2 million wagered.”
RSI’s Time in Connecticut
It is safe to say that RSI is getting a fresh start after a short stint as Connecticut’s exclusive online sports betting provider. Only two years into a 10-year deal as the Connecticut Lottery’s sports betting partner, RSI decided to pull the plug last year and was ultimately replaced by Fanatics.
It wasn’t long ago when RSI CEO Richard Schwartz commented on the dissolution of his company’s contract with the Connecticut Lottery Corporation (CLC).
“We thank the CLC for their partnership. Consistent with our long-term strategic goals, after much deliberation and discussions with the CLC, we believe it is in the best interest of RSI and our stockholders to wind down this partnership,” said Schwartz.
Fresh Start
But this new arrangement with the Delaware State Lottery appears to suit RSI and its CEO just fine. Upon being awarded the contract, Schwartz said, “We are honored to be selected by the Delaware State Lottery selection committee to provide online gaming operations in the First State. This partnership is yet another significant milestone for RSI, as the confidence of a state-backed organization, such as the Delaware Lottery, further validates the trust that lottery officials have in our award-winning online platform and customer service.”
Schwartz further stated, “Building on our proven track record of success in the tri-state area of Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, where RSI was an early entrant in the first online market in the US, we are honored to collaborate with the Delaware Lottery team and the state’s three casinos to offer consumers who are geo-located in Delaware with safe, convenient, and innovative online gaming experiences.”
Delaware Lottery Director Keeley heaped praise on the state’s new betting partner but failed to mention the company’s exit from Connecticut, “Rush Street Interactive has established itself as a leading innovator in the industry, and is a respected iGaming and sports betting company. We are impressed not only with RSI’s successes in other jurisdictions, including neighboring New Jersey and Pennsylvania but also its strong commitment to responsible gambling practices.”
