Rivers Casino Portsmouth’s One Millionth Customer Lavished With Free Perks

Posted on: July 5, 2023, 12:37h. 

Last updated on: July 5, 2023, 09:48h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More

Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

It didn’t take Rivers Casino Portsmouth in Virginia long to welcome its one-millionth guest at the Hampton Roads property.

Chicago-based Rush Street Gaming opened Rivers Casino Portsmouth, the first permanent casino in the commonwealth, on Jan. 23, 2023.

The lucky guest was Terri Powell who visited from nearby Norfolk. Along with the unexpected cheers and applause from casino staff and bystanders, Powell was gifted $1,000 in free slot play, dinner for four at the casino’s award-winning steakhouse, Admiral’s Steak & Seafood, and four tickets to see “Long Island Medium” star Theresa Caputo when she brings her stage show titled “The Experience” to Rivers Portsmouth on August 12.

Successful Opening

Rivers Casino Portsmouth has been open for less than six months, but company officials say the property has been a roaring success.

Rivers Casino Portsmouth has been committed to providing a superior customer experience since day one and hitting this milestone within just six months of opening signals great progress,” Roy Corby, Rivers Casino Portsmouth general manager, told Casino.org. “Congratulations to our one-millionth customer, Terri, and thank you to the remaining 999,999 who have selected Rivers Casino as their entertainment destination of choice.”

Rivers Casino Portsmouth opened at a cost of $340 million along Victory Boulevard south of I-264. The casino features 1,400 slot machines, 81 table games, and a BetRivers Sportsbook.

Since its opening in late January, Rivers has dominated the Virginia casino market, though the market remains in its infancy.

Hard Rock Bristol, a temporary casino located inside the former Bristol Mall, was the first casino to open in Virginia when its slots began ringing a year ago this month. Caesars Virginia opened a temporary casino in Danville in May.

From January through May, Rivers Casino Portsmouth reported gross gaming revenue (GGR) of approximately $100 million. The casino averaged about $22.5 million in monthly gaming income during its five full months in operation.

Hard Rock Bristol during the same six months generated GGR of about $68 million, or about $11.3 million per month. Caesars Virginia, which only opened on May 15, reported May GGR of $11.9 million.

Portsmouth Tax Benefit

Virginia lawmakers legalized commercial gambling in 2020 intending to provide five economically challenged cities the opportunity to create new jobs, local tax revenue, and economic activity. About 67% of Portsmouth voters supported the Rivers plan through a local ballot referendum during the November 2020 election.

Along with hundreds of jobs created, Rivers Portsmouth has been paid around $2.5 million a month in state and local gaming taxes since February. Portsmouth’s share of the monthly gross gaming proceeds has averaged about $1.35 million.