Rush Street Interactive gains online market access in Ohio, Maryland, and Missouri
Strategic partnership with Penn National Gaming also includes potential Texas skin
Rush Street Interactive (RSI), which operates the BetRivers online gaming brand, has forged a strategic partnership with Penn National Gaming (PNG) that will provide RSI with market access to Ohio, Maryland, and Missouri. The deal also includes a right of first offer for a potential skin in Texas, should that state legalize sports betting in the near future.
As part of the agreement, RSI will be able to offer its BetRivers sports betting and igaming platform in Ohio, Maryland, and Missouri for up to 20 years through potential second skins.
Market access in each state is subject to license availability, state law, and regulatory approvals.
“We are pleased to gain potential market access to three new states as we continue the execution of our strategy to gain access and bring our best-in-class online gaming offerings to key markets across the United States,” said RSI president Richard Schwartz.
“The addition of Ohio, Maryland, and Missouri to our market-access portfolio, specifically, builds on RSI’s success in neighboring states and will create enhanced marketing efficiencies for our BetRivers.com brand.”
Once live in each new state, RSI will compensate PNG with industry-standard payments as part of a revenue-sharing agreement in return for market access.
PNG, which operates 44 properties across 20 states, has similar partnerships with other online operators including DraftKings, PointsBet, and The Stars Group.
RSI is currently operational in eight states – New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Colorado – with a combined population of 68 million.
Through the PNG deal, the online operator has the potential to reach more than 35% of the US population. It’s also eyeing additional expansion.
“We continue to engage in productive dialogue with industry participants, such as tribal and commercial casinos and other stakeholders, to further our expansion into new states,” said Schwartz.
“We expect to continue entering into additional market access arrangements in the future, as other opportunities arise.”