BetRivers Sets $1 Minimum Bet in Illinois, Undercutting Rivals’ Response to New Tax
Rush Street Interactive has set a new $1 minimum bet for its BetRivers sportsbook in Illinois. The move is a direct response to the state’s new per-wager tax and takes a different approach than many of its major competitors.
A New Reality in Illinois
The change raises the minimum wager from just 10 cents to a full dollar. This is BetRivers’ answer to a new Illinois law that taxes every single sports bet at least 25 cents, a structure that makes very small wagers unprofitable for operators.
RSI’s Chief Financial Officer, Kyle Sauers, said the company is trying to balance a “great player experience” with “appropriate economics for us.”
He called the $1 minimum the company’s move “thus far,” adding that they are “remaining flexible to figure out the right way to approach it as we get towards NFL season.”
A Different Path Than Competitors
BetRivers is the sixth online operator to react to the new tax, but its strategy differs from the market leaders. DraftKings, FanDuel, and Fanatics chose to pass the cost directly to consumers by adding a transaction fee to every bet slip.
Other operators like BetMGM and Hard Rock Bet also implemented minimum wagers but set them higher at $2.50 and $2.00, respectively.
This currently makes BetRivers the lowest-cost entry point for players who want to avoid direct fees, a potentially significant advantage in a competitive market.
The Impact on Bettors and the Business
The new minimum will have the biggest impact on players who enjoy placing small, “longshot” bets like multi-leg parlays. For operators, the 25-cent tax on a 10-cent wager meant every small bet was a guaranteed loss before the game even started.
The decision comes as RSI is riding a wave of success, with nine straight quarters of record revenue and adjusted EBITDA. However, analysts are watching closely to see if this lower-minimum strategy is sustainable for a company that has historically been viewed as less financially robust than its top-tier rivals.
Illinois is the first state to implement this type of per-wager tax, making it a critical test case for the entire U.S. market. The state’s sportsbooks are now a live experiment, with some charging fees and others setting minimums to offset the new cost.
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