Rivers Casino Pittsburgh Celebrates 15th Anniversary With New Events Space

Rivers Casino Pittsburgh turns 15 years old in August. In anticipation of celebrating its quindecennial, the resort owned and operated by Chicago-based Rush Street Gaming recently finished a $6.6 million refreshment of the property.  

Rivers Casino Pittsburgh events rewards
The newly opened Bridges Ballroom at Rivers Casino Pittsburgh overlooks the Ohio River. Rivers Casino recently spent $6.6 million to update and expand its events spaces and offer VIPs a dedicated players’ lounge. (Image: Rivers Casino Pittsburgh)

The investment focused on events, with the $6.6 million budget primarily allocated towards updating and expanding the casino’s ballrooms.

The project included a new events room called the Bridges Ballroom, a 7,044-square-foot second-floor venue overlooking the Ohio River. The indoor-outdoor space features a balcony and panoramic views of the river. Bridges can be broken down into three smaller rentable spaces ranging from the 1,151-square-foot Fort Duquesne Room to the 4,036-square-foot Fort Pitt Room.

Rivers added four private meeting rooms, too. The breakout spaces offer executives and boards an array of configurations.

With the [city’s professional sports] stadiums and other nearby attractions on the North Shore — not to mention our own full-service gaming floor, BetRivers Sportsbook, and The Landing Hotel — our events calendar fills up quickly,” Bud Green, general manager of Rivers Pittsburgh, said in a statement. “We’re happy to provide new spaces and more dates for hosting conferences, weddings, and special events.”

The casino’s largest space — the 25,000-square-foot Event Center — also underwent a refurbishment. The concert hall has sold out numerous shows from such acts as Boyz II Men, K.C. & The Sunshine Band, and an appearance from “Long Island Medium” star Theresa Caputo.

Player Amenities

Along with the event capabilities being expanded and upgraded, Rivers Casino Pittsburgh added amenities for gamblers. In addition to a full-service Starbucks Coffee located just inside the casino’s front entrance, Rivers opened a dedicated lounge for its VIPs.

The Black Card Room is billed as the casino’s “ultra-exclusive” casino retreat for Rush Rewards Players Club members who have achieved the loyalty program’s highest tier. The Black Card Room opened at the end of 2023.

To become a Black Card member in the Rush Rewards program, a patron must acquire a minimum of 25,000 tier points in six months. Rewards players receive a single tier point for every $5 played on slots and for every $10 bet on sports. Table games excluding poker award points based on average wager and length of play. Video poker provides a half point for every $5 played.

100 points equals $1 in free food and beverage. 200 points can be redeemed for $1 in free slot play.

Black Card members receive complimentary stays at Atlantis in the Bahamas, free priority valet, free check cashing, slot holds upon request, and four annual complimentary nights at Rio Las Vegas.

Rivers Market Share

Pennsylvania’s 17 brick-and-mortar commercial casinos last year generated gross gaming revenue (GGR) of $3.435 billion on their slots and table games.

Rivers Pittsburgh won $267.3 million on its slots to rank third in the state. The casino’s felt kept $87.2 million of players’ bets to place fifth.

With a combined GGR of approximately $354.5 million, Rivers Casino Pittsburgh maintained a more than 10% market share of the Pennsylvania casino industry in 2023.

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Rivers Casino Portsmouth Pays $275K Fine for Regulatory Infractions

Rivers Casino Portsmouth in January made history by becoming the first permanent casino to open in Virginia. But as a result of securing its place in Virginia’s rich history, the property also now has the dubious distinction of being the first casino to be fined by the Virginia Lottery Board.

Rivers Casino Portsmouth Virginia gambling
Patrons stand in a line outside Rivers Casino Portsmouth ahead of its grand opening on Jan. 23, 2023. The Virginia casino has agreed to pay the state $275K for three allegations of compliance breaches. (Image: The Virginian-Pilot)

Virginia’s 2020 commercial gaming bill directed all regulatory responsibilities for the state’s liberalization of brick-and-mortar casinos to fall under the scope of the Virginia Lottery Board. The agency handles all licensing matters and assures compliance of gaming operations.

Board officials said alleged violations at Rivers Portsmouth were brought to the state’s attention in January and February. Based on the review, the Lottery Board informed Rivers Casino that there was evidence suggesting that the casino, directly and through its contractors and agents, had allegedly violated provisions of the state’s Casino Gaming Law and the agency’s regulations. The mishaps reportedly occurred both before and after the casino’s opening on Jan. 23, 2023.

Rivers Casino Portsmouth, owned and operated by Chicago-based Rush Street Gaming, sought to remedy the allegations through a $275K settlement instead of a more costly administrative hearing.

Settlement Reached

The Virginia Lottery Board alleged Rivers’s violations included allowing underage people access to the casino floor. The claims also suggested that Rivers failed to properly license certain slot machines, and allowed a self-excluded person entry who had registered with the Lottery Board’s Voluntary Exclusion Program.

The Lottery has asserted that these actions violated the Casino Gaming Law and the regulations promulgated thereunder, and that these actions were sanctionable,” the Virginia Lottery Board’s settlement agreement with Rivers explained. “Rivers has cooperated fully with the Lottery’s inquiry into these matters, and has taken corrective measures, and has developed a corrective action plan to ensure future compliance with the Casino Gaming Law and its related regulations.”

Casinos often self-report regulatory infractions to their state gaming regulators. Self-reporting is typically a stipulation of holding a gaming license.

During the Virginia Lottery Board’s meeting on the Rivers allegations last month, a discussion ensued about how the board became aware of the violations. Board Executive Director Kelly Gee said those details “cannot be discussed in open session.”

Matter Resolved

The Virginia Lottery Board said the review of Rivers Casino Portsmouth has been deemed settled. But if the casino encounters additional regulatory infractions in the immediate future, the settlement could be readdressed.

For now, the $275K payment resolves the alleged violations. The Lottery Board said the settlement “does not constitute an allegation, an admission, or a denial by either party that a violation of law or regulation has occurred.”

Virginia’s Casino Gaming Law explains that allowing persons under 21 years of age to gamble inside a brick-and-mortar casino regulated by the Board is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Rivers Casino generated gross gaming revenue (GGR) of about $24.7 million in February, its first full month in operation. March GGR was $23.6 million.

On the March haul, Rivers paid about $4.3 million in state and local taxes. About $1.4 million stayed in Portsmouth for the city’s local government.

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