Delaware Selects Rush Street Interactive as New iGaming Partner

The Delaware Lottery has announced that they have accepted Rush Street Interactive’s bid to become the state's new iGaming partner. They will replace 888 Holdings, the incumbent who withdrew their application late in the review process. That left the Chicago-based company as the only remaining bidder, making them an easy choice for Delaware. Though they didn’t face much competition, Rush had the inside track during the bidding process thanks to their experience effectively running both sports betting and online casinos in the region.

“Rush Street Interactive has established itself as a leading innovator in the industry and is a respected iGaming and sports betting company,” Helene Keeley, Director of the Delaware Lottery, stated in a press release. “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.”

Rush will take over the online gaming industry and helm the long-awaited launch of sports betting in The First State. Though Delaware has yet to launch sports betting, they were the first state to legalize it after the US Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018. Delaware was looking for a partner to help launch the industry, which they now have with Rush Street Interactive.

Delaware Market Not Appealing to Major Operators

Rush Street Interactive seems like a perfect fit for Delaware, but the lack of proposals shows that other operators were not interested in gaining licensing in the state. 888 Holdings was the only other bidder throughout the Request for Proposal (RFP) process, but that was because they were already partnered with the state. Their reluctance to push to remain in the market is telling, as is the lack of other proposals.

The bigger surprise is that none of the four major US operators (DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars, and BetMGM) took the time to bid for Delaware’s sports betting industry. Those four have been driving out sportsbooks across the industry, so their lack of interest signals just how little they believe the new market will offer.