Rush Street Interactive, the online division of Rush Street Gaming and its BetRivers casino family, today launched BetRivers Poker for real-money play in Pennsylvania. The new BetRivers Poker online site, which had its origins eight years ago as the Phil Galfond-founded Run It Once Poker, will offer a full suite of poker options.
BetRivers announced the site's real-money launch via its BetRivers Sportsbook social-media accounts:
The launch was quickly celebrated by Galfond as well, who saw his dream of a real-money site open to at least some US players come to fruition after an eight-year journey. Galfond remains part of the ongoing project and serves as a spokesman for the site, which features his avatar prominently.
Galfond launched his original Run It Once site as a site for international players only, then took it offline in 2021 with the potential of selling the project to a US-based casino entity. That potential became reality later in 2021 when Rush Street acquired Galfond's creation with an eye toward further development and a launch into one or more states where Rush Street Interactive is already licensed and where online poker is also regulated.
Though three more years would elapse, that dream finally became reality today in Pennsylvania, where Rush Street already has a strong presence, both live and online. When Pennsylvania officially joins MSIGA (MultiState Internet Gaming Agreement), which is expected to occur in the next few months, BetRivers Poker could quickly arrive in neighboring New Jersey. It could also be the brand that marks the return of online poker to Delaware, where Rush Street is now the sole licensed provider of authorized online gaming services.
Galfond remains as key developer
Phil Galfond continues to be a leading presence within the new BetRivers Poker operation, remaining onboard as one of the site's integral developers and helping to ensure a "player-first" experience. The work of Galfond and several former pro poker players within RSI is intended to assure that BetRivers Poker meets players' expectations for what a poker site should offer.
"As poker players, we designed this platform from the ground up to be for the players – all players. From the amateur playing their very first hand to the sophisticated pro, everyone was kept in mind as we focused on fairness, excitement, and generous rewards that truly benefit the player," said Galfond. "I’ve been heavily involved in the game design, promotions, and policy decisions, and, more importantly, in building an incredible team that sees online poker the way I do."
His vision was endorsed by Phil Hellmuth in a tweet on launch day that said, "I've always been a fan of @BetRivers and Rush Street Interactive... Phil Galfond is a winner, and RSI is a winner!"
Dynamic avatars and 'Cub3d' jackpot SNGs
BetRivers Poker debuts with a wide variety of options, including cash games, multi-table tourneys (MTTs), and Sit-'n'-Go (SNG) tables. The SNG offerings also include BetRivers' twist on the popular jackpot-style SNGs, called 'Cub3d', which will offer a top payout of 1500 times the initial buy-in.
The site has also introduced Dynamic Avatars, which, according to a Rush Street Interactive press statement, "will provide players with real-time insights into their opponents’ play styles." The avatars are programmed to dynamically adjust their expressions based on the opponent's behavior and play, which in turn is intended to provide an "intuitive and engaging way to read the competition".
RSI has also disclosed that there will be future tie-ins with Poker Night in America, the live-streamed cash-game property that is owned by Rush Street and which has appeared in several iterations.
"We are incredibly excited about the launch of this platform. Our goal is to create a seamless experience for players, bridging the gap between the BetRivers digital and Rivers Casino offerings," said Rush Street Interactive's CEO, Richard Schwartz. "By aligning with Rush Street Gaming’s strong retail presence, we are able to leverage our combined strengths to offer a truly unique poker experience that benefits players and drives growth across our entire portfolio."
