BetRivers Launches Online Sportsbook in Delaware

PITTSBURGH, PA – SEPTEMBER 28: Delaware Fightin Blue Hens running back Andre Robinson (10) runs with the ball during the College football game between the Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens and the Pittsburgh Panthers on September 28, 2019 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Mark Alberti/Icon Sportswire)Rush Street Interactive recently launched BetRivers in DelawareThe gaming company has an exclusive contract to offer sports betting and iGaming in the stateBetRivers is the exclusive Delaware sports betting and iGaming operator, but a recent study is encouraging expansion in the state

With little to no fanfare, Rush Street Interactive launched its BetRivers online sportsbook in Delaware on Wednesday, Dec. 27.

Rush Street Interactive (RSI) has an exclusive contract with the Delaware Lottery to be the only sports betting and iGaming operator in the state. It reached the agreement this past August and took nearly six months to launch in the state.

Despite the contract with RSI, Delaware legislators may look into the expansion of sports betting and iGaming in the state following the recent submission of a report from the Internet Sports Lottery Legislative Working Group.

BetRivers Now Live in Delaware

Rush Street Interactive was selected by the Delaware State Lottery as the lone vendor for the state’s online gaming business. The contract was for an initial term of five years, renewable for additional one-year terms for an additional five years pending regulatory approvals.

The company replaced 888 as the state’s sole vendor.

No official announcement was made prior to the operator going live earlier this week. Several Delaware customers began to post their surprise that the operator was live on social media late Wednesday and into Thursday.

The company confirmed to Sports Betting Dime that it was live on Thursday, Dec. 28.

There you have it. Confirmation that @BetRivers is live. pic.twitter.com/t94fsBrZSL

— RLinnehanXL (@RLinnehanXl) December 28, 2023

However, will RSI remain as the sole operator in the state moving into 2024?

Expansion to Multiple Operators

Members of the Internet Sports Lottery Legislative Working Group recently submitted a report to the Delaware legislature with a recommendation to expand online sports betting in The First State.

Members of the Internet Sports Lottery Legislative Working Group pointed to the online sports betting models of neighboring states such as Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey as potential approached Delaware could consider. All three states feature online sports betting with multiple online sports betting operators that could provide Delaware with a “more competitive and economically thriving sports wagering market.”

The group was created through House Resolution 6 with an initial deadline of June 2023 to submit their report. After the group delayed their recommendations, the Delaware Lottery reached an agreement with Rush Street Interactive in August to be its sole online and retail sports betting operator.

Within its final recommendations, the group recommended that Delaware expand its online sports betting to include multiple operators, which would contradict with the lottery’s current contract with RSI.

Multiple Operators Will Increase Revenue

The group suggested the following recommendations to the Delaware legislature:

Delaware needs to have an online sport lotteryDelaware needs to have multiple online sports operatorsDelaware should provide for a tethered model with existing video lottery agentsDelaware should protect the horse racing industry and purse contributionsDelaware should provide additional resources for problem gambling

Within the recommendations, the group included revenue estimate from Eilers & Krejcik. If Delaware transitions to a multiple operator system, the state could generate $30.7 million in sports betting tax revenue across its first five years, and $9 million per year after.

“It is quite clear that the absence of online sports wagering is detrimental to our revenue in Delaware when our surrounding states have online sports wagering. During our meetings, it was demonstrated that there have been many attempts to place online bets in Delaware. This is lost revenue for our state. It is also clear from our surrounding states that the use of multiple online operators creates a greater volume of wagering and online usage. It is our recommendation that online operators need to be tethered to our existing video lottery agents,” the group wrote in its final recommendations.

The recommendations will be considered by Delaware legislators during its upcoming session.