Rush Street Interactive, owner of the widely advertised BetRivers and Play SugarHouse online sports betting brands, has been selected as the vendor for the Delaware State Lottery’s online gaming business.
RSI received a five year deal, renewable for additional one-year terms for an additional five years pending regulatory approvals. The contract with 888, the previous vendor expired with this year, with RSI reportedly the only bidder.
“We are honored to be selected by the Delaware State Lottery selection committee to provide online gaming operations in the First State,” said Richard Schwartz, CEO of Chicago-based RSI. “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 continued, “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 U.S., 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.”
“Rush Street Interactive has established itself as a leading innovator in the industry, and is a respected iGaming and sports betting company,” said Helene Keeley, director of the Delaware Lottery. “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.”
No timetable for a relaunch of online gaming sites was announced.
RSI operates in 15 states and the regulated international markets of the Canadian province of Ontario, Colombia and Mexico.
“We look forward to working with the well-respected RSI team,” Keeley continued. “We reviewed proposed bids from other online gaming companies and suppliers, and the combination of experience and commitment to quality products, customer service, and responsible gaming is why we selected RSI. We’re delighted to begin this partnership and have no doubt that Delawareans and the customers of Delaware’s three casinos will be thrilled with RSI’s exciting library of offerings and industry-leading customer service.”
Delaware became the first U.S. state to implement comprehensive intrastate iGaming including poker, slots and bingo when the General Assembly passed the Delaware Gaming Competitiveness Act of 2012 in June 2012.
However, the Delaware has stopped short of authorizing online sports betting offered in RSI’s apps. Delawareans have to be present in states like Pennsylvania or New Jersey to place online bets. Otherwise, game bets have to be placed at one of Delaware’s three casinos.
RSI’s technology would allow online sports better should legislation pass at some point.
RSI currently offers real-money mobile and online operations in Pennsylvania, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Virginia, Colorado, Maryland, Iowa, West Virginia, Arizona and Louisiana, as well as in the regulated international markets of Ontario, Canada, Colombia and Mexico.
Since the launch of operations in 1975, the Delaware Lottery has contributed $6.0 billion to the state’s General Fund. Delaware Lottery game and promotional details are available at delottery.com.
