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If the performance of Delaware online casinos during the first month of BetRivers’ operation was a sports contest against all previous months, it would be like USWNT star Sophia Smith nutmegging the average guy on the football pitch. Reviewing the numbers, it’s kind of embarrassing for the prior months.
BetRivers produced Delaware single-month highs not only in dollars wagered and taxable revenue but registrations as well. The operator’s takeover of sports betting operations in the state also produced some respectable numbers while physical casino gaming struggled to keep pace with its previous performances.
BetRivers online casino begins Delaware tenure with flair
After landing the exclusive contract with the Delaware Lottery in August, BetRivers online casino launched in Delaware on Dec. 27, 2023. It replaced the previous products operated by 888 Holdings.
Thus, January 2024 was the first full month during which Delaware residents and visitors had access to the platform.
Rush Street Interactive (RSI), BetRivers’ parent company, did not disappoint. Taxable revenue for January 2024 from online slots and online table game play in Delaware was up 65.1% year-over-year for January. Additionally, that total blew by the old single-month record set in March 2023 by 58.2%.
For the current fiscal year to date, taxable revenue is now up 16.5% in Delaware compared to the first seven months of FY2022-23 as well. That’s more remarkable considering that the switch to BetRivers meant the loss of online poker games in the state.
At this time, there have been no announcements from the Delaware Lottery or RSI as to when that might be restored. While RSI operates online casino platforms in a total of five US states including Delaware, it doesn’t maintain a dedicated online poker platform in any of them currently.
The full scope of BetRivers’ takeover in January included online sports betting.
Sports wagering records a strong month, too
While the Delaware Lottery’s monthly report does not break down in-person vs. online sports betting activity, it does provide totals in the categories necessary to assess overall performance. In January 2024, Delaware residents and visitors wagered over $17 million using licensed books in the state.
That’s the seventh-highest single-month total in Delaware history. Books won about 17.3% of that money or around $2.8 million. That win total represented an 18.8% year-over-year increase for the month.
In a similar comparison for the current fiscal year to date, however, sportsbook win is down 12.4% while the dollars wagered are up marginally.
While online gambling showed some solid numbers in Delaware for the first month of 2024, gaming activity at the state’s three brick-and-mortar gambling facilities was a mixed bag.
One bright spot for Delaware’s physical casinos as numbers sour
Overall, gaming revenue at Delaware “racinos” (horse racing tracks that also offer casino gaming) took a turn for the worse in an annual comparison in January. For example, revenue from slots at the tracks sat at $28.4 million for the month, which is a decrease of 30.1% compared to the same total in January 2023.
The narrative was similar for table gameplay during January 2024. Revenue from that segment for the month came to $3.9 million, a decline of 31.3% from January 2023.
While table games revenue for the fiscal year is down 5.8% so far, there is still a silver lining. Through January, revenue from slot play at the three racinos is up 7.8% compared to the first seven months of the prior fiscal year.
From gaming activity at these properties and sports betting statewide, Delaware collected over $12.4 million for its share of that revenue during January 2024. While BetRivers’ performance in online casino statistics looks quite impressive in comparison, there is some important context to consider.
The new and shiny effect for BetRivers online casino
It’s crucial to remember that January was the inaugural month in Delaware for the BetRivers Casino online platform. Thus, the numbers from the month probably saw some inflation from multiple factors that play into such periods.
For one thing, it was the new and shiny toy for people interested in online gambling in the state. It’s unclear how long that toy will hold interest for many players. Additionally, BetRivers’ promotion of the new product in Delaware will wane with time compared to the initial blitz.
Real-money online casino spending and win in January 2025, therefore, could be a better gauge of the actual market for that type of gambling in Delaware. For now, though, the most recent numbers are reminiscent of a Smith goal.
