Rush Street Interactive (RSI) has published a statement from CEO Richard Schwartz addressing the topical customer surcharges being implemented in certain states.
The operator, which runs brands including BetRivers, PlaySugarhouse, and RushBet, has confirmed that RSI will not implement any customer surcharge.
Schwartz said: “As we put our customers first, it was an easy decision for us.”
This comes after DraftKings’ Q2 results and conference call, which addressed the plans to add a surcharge to customers in Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont. This is due to high gross gaming revenue (GGR) rates in the states and will be integrated into betting slips to be applied only to winning bets.
During the conference call, Jason Robins and Alan Ellingson – CEO and CFO of DraftKings respectively – said “players [will] appreciate transparency” around the surcharge being added to their slips.
In response to the results from DraftKings, its share price has dropped approximately 11% and is the lowest it’s been since October 2023.
Conversely, RSI's stock enjoyed a good week last week. However, today, RSI's share price has fallen 14.5%.
Schwartz continued: “RSI remains committed to maintaining its leadership position in the industry by continuously prioritising the needs and preferences of its players.
“We believe that RSI’s focus on customer satisfaction, coupled with its innovative rewards and loyalty programs, sets a benchmark for excellence in the online gaming industry.”
RSI offers both online and retail sports betting in Illinois, New York and Pennsylvania, along with several others, while it is also pursuing the LatAm market, something DraftKings is not currently showing any interest in.
