Rush Street Interactive Declines to Charge New Fees for US Players

Rush Street Interactive has announced that it will not impose any extra fees on its players, despite the rising gambling taxes in various North American states. This decision follows DraftKings’ recent announcement that it will implement additional fees for games starting January 1, 2025.

Rush Street Interactive, along with its brands such as BetRivers and RushBet, emphasises its “commitment to providing exceptional value for players” and will not adopt the approach taken by DraftKings. CEO Richard Schwartz referred to this choice as “simple and obvious,” reiterating the company's dedication to prioritising the needs and preferences of its players to maintain its leadership in the industry.

DraftKings' decision has sparked significant backlash within the US sports betting sector, garnering criticism from both players and analysts. Despite this, DraftKings has defended its stance, claiming that the fee will be “nominal” and will affect four states, with new charges varying based on the tax laws in New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont, which have tax rates of 51%, 36%, and 20%, respectively.

In Illinois, a sliding scale for rates was introduced in May, allowing for a maximum rate of 40% and a minimum of 20%, depending on the operators' revenue; higher revenues lead to higher tax rates.

Importantly, Rush Street Interactive stands out as the first significant operator in the US to eliminate additional charges for players entirely, and as yet, no other major player has publicly taken a similar stance.