Rivers Casino Pittsburgh Begins Public Test Of Mobile Betting App

• The Rivers Casino’s BetRivers sports wagering app will undergo two days of testing.
• The tests will ensure that geo-fencing and age-restricted play operate reliably.
• Thursday is the targeted public launch of the BetRivers platform.

PITTSBURGH – The Rivers Casino Pittsburgh is rolling out its mobile gaming app today, though it won’t be available to the general public just yet.

The BetRivers website and app will undergo mandatory testing from 4:00 p.m. to midnight (EST), with another testing phase from 2:00 p.m. to midnight Wednesday. If the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) signs off on the tests, the website and app should launch statewide on Thursday.

The purpose for these tests is primarily to ensure compliance with the federal Interstate Wire Act and Pennsylvania’s betting age restrictions.

In other words, the BetRivers service has to guarantee that bettors are physically located inside Pennsylvania borders when wagering and that they’re at least 21 years of age.

Provided the PGCB is satisfied that the BetRivers service functions reliably, the product should be ready to go.

No significant hurdles are anticipated, as this isn’t the first online gaming platform to launch in the state. In May, the SugarHouse Casino – a Rivers sister property – launched its own wagering app.

As with its SugarHouse product, owner Rush Street Gaming is managing the Rivers service under its Rush Street Interactive brand. The company has partnered with Kambi, a prominent European sportsbook operator, to deliver real-time odds and live betting infrastructure.

For end users, there’s only one meaningful caveat to consider: only Android users will be able to use the BetRivers app immediately upon launch.

While Apple support is forthcoming, BetRivers iPhone development is currently delayed. This is in response to a host of new technical guidelines and a major system update for Apple’s iOS and iPadOS platforms.

However, with a successful mobile rollout and eventual support for both major mobile OSes, the sports betting handle at the Rivers Casino Pittsburgh should credibly double.

Mattias Stetz, COO of Rush Street Interactive, believes that mobile sports betting in Pennsylvania will be popular, though perhaps less so than in some other states.

In New Jersey, for example, mobile sports betting accounts for fully 80 percent of the industry’s total handle.

“The difference is the bricks-and-mortar casinos are spread out throughout [Pennsylvania] and the big cities, whereas the bricks-and-mortar locations in New Jersey are concentrated in Atlantic City,” said Stetz. “Logically, bricks-and-mortar casinos in Pennsylvania should get a larger piece of the total.”

Currently, the Rivers Casino Pittsburgh turns a monthly handle of about $9 million.

News tags: Android | BetRivers | iPhone | Kambi | Mattias Stetz | mobile betting | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board | Rivers Casino Pittsburgh | Rush Street Gaming | Rush Street Interactive | sports betting app | SugarHouse Casino