As the highly anticipated re-launch of the Run It Once Poker app in the US draws near, parent company Rush Street Interactive (RSI) is silently building its online poker development team.
The parent company has been recruiting poker executives for over a year, posts on LinkedIn reveal. And a recent posting of two key job openings show that the launch of Run It Once Poker USA might not be far away.
These jobs are both in its poker department: Director of Poker Room Management and Director of Poker Marketing were published in late November and are based in their Malta office.
These postings have already attracted over 70 applicants combined.
New Roles Suggest Both Cash Games and Tournaments Coming
The role of Director of Poker Room Management will be overseeing critical aspects such as rake, policies, and game offerings, ensuring the creation of a healthy poker ecosystem with safe games.
The position also includes responsibilities like directly managing cash game manager/analyst duties until the role is filled post-launch. The director will also collaborate with the RSI’s Poker Product Owner to manage Cash Game Features from ideation to launch.
A noteworthy requirement for this role is “significant online poker expertise”, with a preference for candidates boasting “a history of serious play.”
In tandem with the poker room management role, RSI is also actively seeking a Director of Poker Marketing to lead marketing efforts for its poker vertical. Reporting directly to the Head of Poker, this director will oversee acquisition and retention marketing, managing the poker marketing team while collaborating closely with specialized marketing teams within the organization.
This position demands a minimum of five years of experience in the gambling industry in similar roles.
When Run it Once Poker operated in the international markets, it was initially cash games only. It later introduced Sit and Gos, but it never launched multi-table tournaments.
One open question is whether RIO would have MTTs when it launches in the US — and job postings offer a big hint that tournaments are in the works. A previous job posting for Poker Tournament Manager has already been filled, rehiring a former employee who had previously worked for Run It Once Poker.
Run It Once Poker US 2024 Launch Date
RSI has been growing its poker team for over a year: it started hiring former PokerStars and GGPoker employees within months of acquiring Phil Galfond’s company in March 2022. It also rehired many previous Run It Once Poker employees who had departed when dot-com operations ceased a few months prior.
As the countdown to launch ticks down, the poker community eagerly awaits the unveiling of Run It Once Poker US. In our ongoing series forecasting “What US Online Poker Needs Next,” we explored why we need fresh faces and innovative platforms like RIO — and discussed the possibility of its launch date.
Run It Once and its parent company have remained tight-lipped stance in response to our multiple inquiries about the launch date. Our optimism points toward a debut for Run It Once Poker in the first half of 2024. We expect it to go live in at least Michigan and New Jersey. A return of Delaware online poker is also possible.
The launch of RIO holds the promise of injecting renewed vigor and competition into the US online poker scene, currently dominated by three major operators: PokerStars, WSOP, and BetMGM.
During its previous stint in the global dot-com market, the platform introduced several innovations such as Splash the Pot, Dynamic Avatars, HeroIQ (a built-in HUD), SNG Select, and the Legends rewards program with up to 75% rakeback. However, limitations — a constrained marketing budget, the absence of tournaments, and the lack of a mobile app — hindered RIO’s adoption on the global stage.
But its US launch will be backed by RSI, a leading igaming operator boasting its flagship casino and sports betting brand, BetRivers, operating live in a minimum of 15 US states. This sets the stage for an exciting opportunity for cross-selling between online casino gaming, sports betting, and poker, enhancing the overall gaming experience for players in the US.
With the backing of RSI, Run It Once US Poker holds the potential not only to challenge but also to reshape the landscape of the US online poker industry.
