The Connecticut Lottery Corporation Announces Sports Betting Operations Partnership with Rush Street InteractiveRocky Hill, CT / August 12, 2021 -- The Connecticut Lottery Corporation (CLC) today announced Rush Street Interactive (RSI) as its sports betting operations partner for the Corporation’s soon-to-launch sports wagering business. Through this 10-year agreement and subject to regulatory approvals, RSI will serve as the CLC’s exclusive provider of a state-of-the-art sports betting system for mobile, online, and retail channels, including as the operator of the CLC’s mobile/online sportsbook. RSI’s experience and strong financial commitment to the CLC reflect its dedication to being the Corporation’s best sports betting partner.
“Rush Street Interactive is a respected sports betting and gaming company that has established itself as a leading innovator in the industry,” said Rob Simmelkjaer, Chairman, CLC Board of Directors. “We are impressed not only with RSI’s successes in other jurisdictions, particularly in neighboring New York and New Jersey, but also its commitment to responsible gambling practices.
“We look forward to working with the team at Rush Street Interactive,” said Greg Smith, CLC President & CEO. “We had 15 quality proposals from well-established gaming companies, and RSI rose to the top through the combination of its experience and commitment to quality products, customer service, and responsible gaming safeguards. We’re excited about this partnership and know our players will be getting an excellent product and customer service.”
RSI is a market
leader in online casino and sports betting in the U.S. In 2020, RSI received
the prestigious Global Gaming Awards Digital Operator of the Year award and was
named Customer Service Operator of the Year in both 2020 and 2021 from the
eGaming Review. According to a July 2021 report from Eilers & Krejcik
Gaming, a gaming research firm, RSI was a top five online sports betting
company in the United States per gross gaming revenues over the past 12 months.
Known for its
PlaySugarHouse.com, BetRivers.com, and RushBet.co brands, RSI operates in 10
different states, including New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. New Jersey
was the first state where RSI launched online gaming under the
PlaySugarHouse.com brand in 2016, and, today, RSI is one of the largest
operators of both online casino and sports betting in the state. In New York, RSI
oversees the operations of the Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady retail
sportsbook, which was the first casino in New York history to accept a
legalized sports bet and has been the leading commercial sportsbook in the
state by revenue since its launch in 2019.
“We are honored to be selected by the CLC to bring sports betting to the state and people of Connecticut,” said Richard Schwartz, President of RSI. “This partnership represents a significant milestone for RSI, as the trust and confidence of a state-backed organization such as the CLC further validates the strength of our award-winning online gaming platform and customer service. Building on our proven track record of success in the tri-state area, where RSI was an early entrant in New Jersey and is the market leader in retail sports betting amongst New York’s commercial casinos, we are thrilled to collaborate with the CLC team to offer Connecticuters safe, convenient, and unique gaming experiences.”
In addition, the CLC has teamed with Connecticut-based Sportech to offer sports betting at 10 of Sportech’s current OTB locations, including Bobby V’s locations in Stamford and Windsor Locks; Sports Haven in New Haven; and the Winners locations in Hartford, Manchester, Waterbury, Torrington, New Britain, Milford, and Norwalk. The Connecticut Lottery Corporation may operate up to 15 retail sports wagering locations. Sportech is a trusted participant in the global gaming technology sector, providing technology and service solutions for lotteries and gaming companies and owning and operating gaming venues in the USA.
“We are very excited to partner with Sportech to bring retail sports betting to all corners of the state of Connecticut,” said Simmelkjaer. “Their existing locations and licensed staff will allow us to get to market quickly with RSI’s retail offering, and we look forward to working with them as we ramp up retail sports betting around the state.”
Andrew Lindley, Chief Operating Officer of Sportech PLC, added: “For over 25 years, Sportech has been the exclusive licensee of Connecticut’s off-track betting system and an established state gaming business. We are delighted to bring our established locations, local expertise, and licensed betting professionals to support CLC in delivering an exciting sports betting product across our retail network and assist in promoting CLC’s online and mobile channel.”
The news of the RSI and Sportech partnerships come on the heels of a successful 2021 fiscal year for the Connecticut Lottery Corporation, which saw the CLC generate a record $1.5 billion in total sales and transfer a best-ever $418 million to the state’s General Fund.
In May 2021, the
Connecticut General Assembly passed legislation to authorize sports betting in
Connecticut. Governor Ned Lamont signed the bill on May 27, 2021. The
new law, in part, gives the Connecticut Lottery Corporation (upon issuance of a
license from the CT Department of Consumer Protection):
- The right to operate a statewide online/mobile sports
betting skin with partners and vendors to be determined;
- The right to operate up to 15 retail sports betting
locations (including venues in Hartford and Bridgeport);
- The right to sublicense some of those retail
locations to the state-licensed parimutuel operator;
- The right to sell draw games and Keno products online statewide (also known as “iLottery”).
About the
Connecticut Lottery Corporation:
The Connecticut
Lottery Corporation (CLC) is a quasi-public state agency with the mission to generate revenue for Connecticut consistent with the highest standards of good public policy and social responsibility. In fiscal year 2021, players won more than $925 million in prize money and Retailers earned more than $83 million in commissions. At the same time, the CLC provided $418 million to support the valuable services and programs funded by the state’s General Fund including public health, libraries, public safety, education and more. Since the Lottery began in 1972, its contributions to the General Fund have exceeded $10.6 billion.
The CLC reminds
the public that Lottery purchasers must be 18 or older, and players must be 21
to place sports wagers. If you gamble, please play responsibly and use
your Game
Sense.
About RSI
RSI is a trusted online gaming and sports entertainment
company focused on regulated markets in the United States and Latin America.
Through its brands, BetRivers.com and PlaySugarHouse.com, RSI was an early
entrant in many regulated jurisdictions and is currently live with real-money
mobile, online and/or retail operations in ten U.S. states: Pennsylvania,
Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Michigan, Indiana, Virginia, Colorado, Iowa and
West Virginia. RSI is also active internationally, offering its online casino
and sportsbook in the regulated gaming market of Colombia on RushBet.co. RSI
offers, through its proprietary online gaming platform, some of the most
popular online casino games and sports betting options in the United States.
Founded in 2012 in Chicago by gaming industry veterans, RSI was named the 2020
Global Gaming Awards Digital Operator of the Year and the 2020 EGR North
America Awards Casino Operator of the Year and Customer Service Operator of the
Year. RSI is committed to industry-leading responsible gaming practices and
seeks to provide its customers with the resources and services they need to
play responsibly. For more information, visit www.rushstreetinteractive.com.
About Sportech
Sportech is an international betting business, with US headquarters based in New Haven. It’s core business delivers solutions and services for gaming companies and lottery clients in highly regulated markets. Sportech also owns and operates gaming venues and digital betting platforms across the State of Connecticut under exclusive licenses. In 2020 it delivered gaming services to over 400 international clients, and in a typical year its global systems processed approximately $12.3 Billion in betting handle. For more information, visit www.sportechplc.com.
