Delaware online casinos expand games through new deal

DOVER — Rush Street Interactive, which runs Delaware’s mobile sports betting, has recently signed a deal with Swedish online casino developer Evolution to add more games to the state’s offerings.

The deal marks Evolution’s sixth market in the United States, showcasing the exploding market the casino content creator has been eyeing. Online wagering through casinos or other means  —nicknamed iGaming — has hit $6.17 billion in the six states with full-fledged legal operations last year. 

Through the agreement, Delawareans will have access to a line-up of online slots from Evolution Group’s NetEnt, Red Tiger, and Big Time Gaming brands all through Delaware’s online wagering app BetRivers. Rush Street Interactive was named the state’s new technology partner last year.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Evolution Group as we continue to expand our slot game offerings to provide our customers unmatched entertainment experiences,” Rush Street Interactive CEO Richard Schwartz said in a statement. “Evolution has an exceptional portfolio of online slots, and we know that our players in Delaware will enjoy what Evolution has to offer now and in the future.”

Headquartered in Stockholm, Evolution is valued at $20.6 billion and has been steadily growing its international business since it was founded in 2006. The company’s main revenue source is its live dealer casinos, which generated about 85% of its profit in fourth quarter 2023. That option will not be offered through the Delaware partnership, however, as it would likely have to open a studio to broadcast games in state to do so.

As the digital age presses on, competitors like IGT and White Hat Studios have eagerly expanded in the six other states where iGaming is legal and taken up some of the market share. As for Evolution, the company’s financial filings show that North America only represented $64 million of the company’s $475.3 million total revenue in the last quarter of 2023. In late 2023, for example, the company opened studios in Connecticut and Bulgaria.

Meanwhile, on the East Coast, Evolution executives say they are excited for the new expansion into the First State.

“Going live in Delaware is a great milestone for Evolution. We are excited to partner with Rush Street Interactive, one of the most respected online gaming companies in the U.S., to bring online games to BetRivers players in Delaware,” Evolution CEO for North America Jacob Claesson said in a prepared statement.

The agreement between Rush Street and Evolution will complement the already rising iGaming industry in the First State. In January and February of this year, after Rush Street took over, the state brought in $3.4 million and $3.8 million respectively – head and shoulders above previous years.