The regulated US online poker market has changed considerably in recent years, with several new and, in some cases, unexpected entrants joining the market.
A few years ago, it would have been difficult to imagine operators such as DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetRivers entering online poker and competing alongside long-established brands like WSOP, BetMGM, and PokerStars, although PokerStars has since transitioned to FanDuel Poker in the US.
The market has also expanded geographically, albeit at a gradual pace. Over the last six years, Connecticut, West Virginia, Rhode Island, and, most recently, Maine have all legalized online poker. While each represents a relatively small market, their addition has brought the total number of regulated online poker states to nine.
Yet when it comes to actually launching poker in those smaller states, only one operator has consistently shown a willingness to do so: BetRivers Poker.
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Betting on Small States
Today, BetRivers is live with online poker in four states, including West Virginia and Delaware, where it is currently the sole online poker operator. It first launched in Pennsylvania before expanding into Michigan, Delaware, and West Virginia, creating a four-state shared liquidity network, only the second operator in the US, after WSOP, to connect multiple regulated markets under a single player pool.
The network is also expected to expand into New Jersey, its fifth state, once regulatory approval is secured. That would make BetRivers the first online poker network in the country to span five states with shared liquidity.
The operator has also publicly expressed interest in launching in Maine, which legalized igaming earlier this year. Maine has a population of only around 1.4 million, making it one of the smallest regulated markets in the US.
“Maine is a market we have strong interest in, particularly given our track record of expanding online poker into smaller and underserved jurisdictions,” Jesse Wilke, Director of Poker Marketing at Rush Street Interactive (RSI), told Poker Industry PRO in an exclusive interview earlier this year.
The same enthusiasm is unlikely to be shared across the rest of the market. Even if Maine eventually joins the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA), as most regulated online poker states have, there is little indication that other operators are eager to establish a presence there.
Among the major operators, BetMGM Poker, FanDuel Poker, and DraftKings Poker are all active in New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. DraftKings currently offers only its peer-to-peer Electric Poker product. WSOP remains the exception, operating across those three states as well as Nevada, where it has maintained a long-standing position.
Simply put, BetRivers appears to care more about online poker than most of its rivals. While other operators have generally focused on the largest regulated states, BetRivers has consistently demonstrated a willingness to launch poker in smaller jurisdictions where the commercial opportunity is less obvious.
The contrast raises an obvious question: why is BetRivers willing to pursue smaller poker markets that others appear content to ignore?
The reason comes down to how BetRivers views online poker.
More Than Poker Revenue
Poker has always generated less revenue than online casino and sports betting. As a result, many operators naturally focus their investment on those higher-margin verticals, while poker often receives fewer resources and is expected to justify its place within a tighter commercial framework.
BetRivers’ parent, Rush Street Interactive (RSI), approaches the product differently. Rather than measuring poker purely on direct revenue, the company sees it as an important part of its wider ecosystem, one that helps acquire customers, improve retention, and strengthen engagement across its platform.
That philosophy is reflected in BetRivers’ Rakeback Revolution program, which rewards players based on the amount of rake they generate. Although those rewards are earned through poker, they are designed to be used across the broader BetRivers platform, including casino and sports betting.
In effect, poker becomes an entry point into the wider ecosystem. Players generate rewards at the tables and are encouraged to use them across other products, increasing activity beyond poker itself instead of treating it as an isolated vertical.
That strategy arguably becomes even more valuable in smaller jurisdictions.
In states with limited populations, poker does not need to become a major revenue contributor to justify its existence. Instead, it can serve as a highly engaging product that attracts committed players, encourages them to stay within the platform, and ultimately contributes to growth across online casino.
“We have also demonstrated that operating a high-quality online poker business in a small market attracts a broader base of online casino players, which is valuable for growing an operator’s online casino market share,” Wilke told Poker Industry PRO.
“In fact, we’ve seen that online poker helps us to acquire and retain casino customers. We’ve grown regulated poker faster than any other U.S. operator by focusing on markets where liquidity, stability, and long-term player engagement matter more than headline size. We view poker as a foundational product—one that not only sustains a healthy poker ecosystem but also supports broader online casino growth—and that model is especially well suited to markets like Maine,” he added.
Leading by Example
West Virginia and Delaware provide two strong examples of that approach in action.
West Virginia legalized online poker in 2019 and joined MSIGA, allowing operators to combine player pools across participating states. Despite the opportunity, interest from the industry has been minimal. BetRivers entered the market within months, while other operators that already offered online casino in the state chose not to introduce poker.
Delaware tells a different story but reaches a similar conclusion. The state’s igaming market is overseen by the Delaware Lottery, which awards a single contract covering online casino, sports betting, and poker across its three racinos. When that contract was rebid in 2023, RSI secured the agreement after no competing bids were submitted.
The lack of rival interest spoke volumes about the commercial appeal of such a small market. RSI, however, viewed the opportunity differently. By taking over the contract, it became responsible for all three igaming verticals and reinforced its willingness to operate in jurisdictions that larger competitors have largely overlooked.
The results have been encouraging. Since RSI assumed control of the platform, Delaware’s online poker revenue has comfortably exceeded previous levels.
The next step is New Jersey, where BetRivers’ launch has been delayed, most likely for regulatory reasons. Once that approval arrives, the company will operate the country’s first five-state shared liquidity network.
And if additional states legalize online poker in the coming years, recent history suggests BetRivers will once again be among the first operators exploring those opportunities rather than waiting to see whether larger markets emerge.
