The soft launch of online sports betting came to Delaware in late December followed by iGaming, in which customers can play a variety of digital slots and casino table games. Let’s see how this will change the First State’s online sportsbooks industry.
Positive Returns
In less than a week, the early returns are positive with a soft launch of mobile sports betting and iGaming on December 27th and the early returns coming on January 2nd.
Helene Keeley, Director of the Delaware Lottery, 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.”
Retail sports betting at the state’s three casinos; Bally’s Dover, Delaware Park Casino, and Harrington Casino & Raceway has been around for years.
However, with the advent of mobile sports betting in neighboring Pennsylvania and to a greater extent, Maryland, some Delaware residents were preferring to take a drive across the border to place mobile bets rather than visiting the state’s casinos and making an in-person wager.
This step into the mobile sports betting and iGaming realm will undoubtedly combat the troubling trend for Delaware’s tax coffers.
Rush Street Interactive Chosen as Vendor
Rush Street Interactive, also known as RSI, operator of the BetRivers brand, recently parted ways with the state of Connecticut as their sole provider for retail and online sports betting after only two years into a 10-year partnership agreement with the Connecticut Lottery Corporation.
“We thank the CLC for their partnership,” said RSI CEO Richard Schwartz. “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.”
But apparently, Delaware was a more attractive market for their mobile operations, as RSI ramps up its online sports betting and iGaming technology in the First State.
“We are thrilled to begin this historic and much-anticipated launch of the new online sportsbook and casino with the Delaware Lottery and bring our award-winning product to Delaware,” said Richard Schwartz, Chief Executive Officer of RSI.
“With our extensive offering of gaming content, a wide range of deposit and withdrawal methods, real-time cash-out approvals, and best-in-class customer service, Delaware customers are going to love the convenience of wagering on their favorite sports, slots, and table games from anywhere in the state.”
Strategic Partnership and Commitment
RSI’s agreement with the state runs for five years with extensions at the sole discretion of the Delaware Lottery. Access to the Delaware Park and Harrington Casino & Raceway sites can be found through the BetRivers app but Bally’s Dover Casino continues to maintain its website and mobile app.
“We are honored to collaborate with the Delaware Lottery team and the state’s three casinos to offer consumers in Delaware a safe, convenient, and innovative online entertainment experience,” Schwartz added. “The launch into Delaware builds on our proven track record of success in the Mid-Atlantic Region of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New Jersey, where RSI has shown that online casinos and sportsbooks complement each other, and we continue to set new records.”
“RSI’s successes in other jurisdictions, including neighboring New Jersey and Pennsylvania, are impressive, along with the company’s overall reputation and experience,” Keeley said. “RSI’s commitment to responsible gaming, quality products, breadth of gaming content, and customer service are key reasons we are so excited to partner with them.”
Calculators
