SPORTS BETTING
US – Rush Street Interactive to operate online sports betting in New York
By Phil - 10 November 2021
Rush Street Interactive, Inc., a leading online sports betting and casino company in the United States, today announced that it was selected by the New York State Gaming Commission to operate online and mobile sports betting in New York. RSI was awarded one of nine licenses permitting gaming operators to offer online and mobile sports betting in New York upon its statewide launch, which is expected to occur during the first quarter of 2022.
Richard Schwartz, Chief Executive Officer of RSI, said: “Today is a momentous occasion for RSI, sports fans across the Empire State, and for the gaming industry at large. We are delighted to have been selected by the NYSGC in a very thorough bidding process and extend our congratulations to our fellow consortium members.
“New York is a crown jewel market with more than 20 million residents which, upon launch, will become the largest online sports betting market in the United States. Moreover, it is home to some of the most passionate sports fans in the nation. We look forward to bringing our award-winning online gaming platform and customer service to New York, deepening our roots in the state and region, and creating an omnichannel experience for sports bettors that we have successfully executed upon across the country.”
RSI currently operates online gaming in 11 states, including the neighboring markets of Connecticut and New Jersey. Upon launch of its online sportsbook in New York, RSI will be one of only three companies with online gaming market access to all three states. The New York City media market, the largest media market in the nation, taps into all three states in the tri-state region, giving RSI significant long-term marketing efficiencies.
RSI already has an established presence in New York through its partnership with Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady, a premier in-person gaming destination, where RSI oversees the operations of the casino’s retail sportsbook. Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady was the first casino in New York history to accept a legalized sports bet and has been the leading commercial sportsbook in the state by revenue since its launch in 2019.
Mr. Schwartz added, “Our selection by the NYSGC follows that by the Connecticut Lottery Corporation to serve as its sports betting operations partner in another highly competitive process. This additional recognition of quality by a government agency serves as strong validation of RSI, the attractiveness of our offerings, and our ability to deliver value and results to our partners. We are pleased to continue our successful track record of securing access in high-barrier-to-entry jurisdictions, gaining market share, and differentiating our platform through the quality of our products, services, and customer service experience.”
Based on publicly available data, RSI is the retail market leader in the three most populous states that have legalized retail sports betting – New York, Illinois, and Pennsylvania – and is a top four online gaming company in the United States per gross gaming revenues over the past 12 months, according to an October 2021 report from independent gaming research firm Eilers & Krejcik. Additionally, the Company’s mobile sportsbook app was recently rated #3 out of 35 mobile sportsbook apps in the United States market last month by Eilers & Krejcik.
