The American online poker landscape just got a significant boost as BetRivers Poker rolled out its platform across Delaware, Michigan, and West Virginia, joining Pennsylvania in what’s becoming one of the most ambitious multi-state poker networks in recent years. This expansion represents more than just geographic growth – it’s a strategic move that could reshape how players experience online poker in the United States.
Rush Street Interactive: From Chicago Startup to Gaming Powerhouse
Rush Street Interactive didn’t just stumble into the online gaming space. Founded in 2012 by gaming industry veterans including Neil Bluhm, Greg Carlin, and Richard Schwartz, the Chicago-based company emerged as the digital arm of Rush Street Gaming. What started as a social gaming platform with SugarHouse Casino4Fun in 2015 quickly evolved into something much bigger.
The company’s trajectory really picked up steam when it launched PlaySugarHouse.com in New Jersey back in 2016, marking its entry into regulated online gaming. By 2018, RSI had added sports betting to its portfolio, positioning itself as a comprehensive online gaming operator. The real game-changer came in 2020 when the company went public through a SPAC merger, giving it the capital firepower to compete with industry giants.
Today, RSI operates across multiple states and even ventured into Latin America, making it the first US gaming company to launch regulated online sportsbooks south of the border. With a current market capitalization of around $3 billion and revenue that hit $924 million in 2024, RSI has proven it can hold its own against much larger competitors.
The Financial Muscle Behind the Expansion
The timing of this poker expansion isn’t coincidental. RSI just posted some impressive Q1 2025 numbers that would make any executive smile – revenue jumped 21% year-over-year to $262.4 million, with net income swinging from a $2.2 million loss to an $11.2 million profit. Even more telling, the company’s EBITDA nearly doubled, reaching $33.2 million.
These aren’t just feel-good numbers for shareholders. They represent the kind of financial stability that allows RSI to invest in ambitious projects like multi-state poker networks. The company’s monthly active users grew 17% in North America and a whopping 61% in Latin America, suggesting their expansion strategy is working.
What’s particularly impressive is how RSI has managed to climb the brand awareness ladder despite being smaller than industry titans like FanDuel and DraftKings. According to recent analysis, BetRivers now ranks sixth in brand momentum among online gaming operators, punching well above its weight class.
The Poker Legends Behind the Platform
Here’s where things get interesting – BetRivers Poker isn’t just another generic online poker site thrown together by a tech team. The platform’s development involved some serious poker credibility, starting with Phil Galfond, whose poker resume reads like a hall of fame biography.
Galfond isn’t just any poker pro. The guy has three World Series of Poker bracelets and over $2.9 million in tournament winnings. But what really matters for BetRivers is his entrepreneurial side. Galfond founded Run It Once Poker, which he sold to RSI for $5.8 million in March 2022. This wasn’t just an acquisition – it was RSI buying proven poker technology and expertise.
The software powering BetRivers Poker actually comes from Galfond’s Run It Once platform, which he originally launched in 2019 with the goal of keeping the online poker dream alive. Galfond spent years building a reputation as one of the greatest pot-limit Omaha players ever, earning over $10 million in online winnings on Full Tilt Poker alone.
Adding even more star power to the mix, RSI brought in Phil Hellmuth as a brand ambassador. With 17 World Series of Poker bracelets – seven more than anyone else in history – Hellmuth brings serious credibility. The “Poker Brat” has won bracelets across five different decades and remains the only player to capture both the WSOP and WSOP Europe Main Events.
Multi-State Liquidity: The Holy Grail of US Online Poker
The Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement represents one of the most important developments in US online poker since the early 2000s boom. For years, individual state markets struggled with small player pools that made it tough to run big tournaments or maintain active cash games around the clock.
Think about it from a player’s perspective – if you’re limited to just the poker players in Delaware (population 1 million), your game selection is pretty limited compared to sharing a pool with Pennsylvania, Michigan, and West Virginia players. That’s the difference between a few hundred concurrent players and potentially thousands.
The benefits of shared liquidity go way beyond just having more opponents. Larger player pools mean bigger tournament guarantees, which attract more players, creating a positive feedback loop. Cash game players get more table selection and can find their preferred stakes more easily. Tournament players see prize pools that actually justify the time investment. European poker markets learned this lesson years ago. Countries like France, Spain, and Portugal eventually moved toward liquidity sharing models because standalone markets just couldn’t sustain themselves. The US is essentially following the same playbook, just with states instead of countries.
State-by-State Regulatory Journey
Each state in the BetRivers network took its own path to online poker legalization, and understanding these journeys helps explain why multi-state compacts became necessary.
- Pennsylvania led the charge for RSI, launching BetRivers Poker in late 2024. The Keystone State has been relatively poker-friendly, with a regulatory framework that supports both online and live poker integration. RSI leverages this by connecting its online platform with Rivers Casino locations in Pennsylvania, offering players live events and in-person poker opportunities.
- Michigan joined the MSIGA back in 2022 and already had three other operators running multi-state poker: MGM Grand Detroit with BetMGM, the Grand Traverse Band with World Series of Poker, and the Little Traverse Bay Bands with PokerStars. The Michigan Gaming Control Board’s approval of RSI’s multi-state request came after a thorough review confirming the company met all regulatory requirements.
- Delaware presents an interesting case. With just under 1 million residents, it’s the kind of market that absolutely needs shared liquidity to succeed. BetRivers actually became the only legal online poker platform in Delaware when it launched, giving the state its first real online poker option in years.
- West Virginia had perhaps the longest wait. The state legalized online poker back in 2019, but no operator entered the market until BetRivers’ recent launch. With only 1.8 million residents, a standalone West Virginia poker market was never really viable. The state joined MSIGA in 2023, paving the way for BetRivers to finally make poker available to West Virginia players.
Technology and Innovation in Modern Online Poker
The poker technology landscape has evolved dramatically since the early days of basic HTML interfaces and simple random number generators. Today’s platforms incorporate sophisticated features that would have seemed like science fiction to poker players of the 2000s.
BetRivers Poker includes innovative elements like Dynamic Avatars and Cub3d Sit & Go Tournaments, where players can win up to 1,500 times their buy-in. These aren’t just gimmicks – they represent the kind of product differentiation that modern online poker requires to compete with other forms of digital entertainment.
Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly important in online poker development. Modern platforms use AI for everything from fraud detection and collusion prevention to personalized player experiences and real-time coaching. AI-powered security systems can analyze thousands of hands in real-time to identify suspicious betting patterns or bot activity, ensuring fair play across the network.
The integration of machine learning helps platforms understand individual player preferences and adjust the experience accordingly. This might mean recommending specific game types, customizing tournament notifications, or even adjusting interface elements based on playing style.
Mobile optimization has also become crucial. The majority of online poker traffic now comes from mobile devices, requiring platforms to deliver console-quality experiences on smartphones and tablets. BetRivers and other modern platforms invest heavily in responsive design and mobile-specific features.
Competitive Landscape and Market Position
RSI faces serious competition in the online poker space, though the multi-state approach gives it some unique advantages. PokerStars, with its massive global brand recognition, operates in multiple US states and brings decades of online poker expertise. BetMGM leverages the MGM brand and casino partnerships to attract players.
What’s interesting is how different operators are positioning themselves. While PokerStars trades on its reputation as the world’s largest poker site, and BetMGM emphasizes its connection to brick-and-mortar casinos, BetRivers is focusing on community and player-centric features developed with input from actual poker professionals.
The competition extends beyond just poker. Online poker platforms are competing for entertainment time with sports betting, online casinos, daily fantasy sports, and even video games. This broader competitive landscape requires poker operators to think beyond traditional poker features and consider the entire user experience.
Where the Market is Heading: the Numbers
The numbers surrounding online poker growth are pretty remarkable. The global online poker market was valued at $5.3 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $11.4 billion by 2030, representing a compound annual growth rate of 13.7%. In the US specifically, market projections suggest growth from $54.03 billion in 2024 to $183.30 billion by 2034, with a CAGR of 14.9%. These projections reflect several key trends driving growth. Mobile gaming adoption continues accelerating, with smartphones becoming the primary device for online poker. The post-pandemic normalization of online entertainment has also helped legitimize online poker as mainstream entertainment rather than niche gambling.
Perhaps most importantly, the expanding legal framework across US states is creating sustainable, regulated markets that attract players who previously avoided offshore sites. The multi-state compact model pioneered by Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware is being adopted by more states, creating larger, more viable poker ecosystems.
Technology Innovations Shaping the Future
Looking ahead, several technological developments could significantly impact online poker. Blockchain integration is being explored by various operators as a way to ensure transparency and potentially enable cryptocurrency transactions. Virtual and augmented reality technologies might eventually create more immersive poker experiences, though mainstream adoption remains years away.
AI will likely play an even larger role in future poker platforms. We’re already seeing AI-powered coaching tools and strategy analyzers becoming mainstream. Future platforms might include real-time AI assistance for recreational players or sophisticated opponent modeling systems.
The integration of social features and gamification elements is another major trend. Modern players expect features like achievement systems, leaderboards, and social media integration that make online poker feel more like a community experience.
RSI’s expansion of BetRivers Poker represents more than just another market launch – it’s part of a broader transformation of US online poker from fragmented state markets to interconnected networks that can compete globally. With strong financial backing, proven technology, and input from poker legends, BetRivers is positioning itself as a serious long-term player in what could become a much larger and more sophisticated online poker ecosystem.
The success of multi-state poker networks like BetRivers could influence other states to join similar compacts, potentially creating a truly national online poker market within the next decade. For players, this means more games, bigger tournaments, and better overall experiences. For the industry, it represents the maturation of regulated online poker in America.
