DOVER — Rush Street Interactive, the company that runs the only online sports betting platform in Delaware, has welcomed former Governor Jack Markell to its board of directors.
RSI declined to make Markell available to the Delaware Business Times for an interview.
“We are excited to welcome Jack to our board,” RSI CEO Richard Schwartz said in a prepared statement. “His experience in business and government will be invaluable as we continue to expand our footprint across the Americas and enhance our offerings. We look forward to his contributions and are confident that his expertise will help drive our future success.”
The announcement is one of few public indications of Markell’s professional life after he returned to Delaware at the end of 2024 following a four-year stint as a United States ambassador. He also recently attended Governor Matt Meyer’s inauguration in January and was seated next to former Governor John Carney.
President Joe Biden nominated him to serve as an ambassador to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in 2021 and later was tapped to serve as the U.S. ambassador to Italy and San Marino.
The RSI Board of Directors appointed Markell and Delaware Street Capital Founder Andrew Bluhm as independent directors. Markell’s term as a Class III director will continue until the company’s 2026 annual meeting.
In filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, RSI said that the 73rd governor was selected to join the board due to his “extensive expertise in government relations, corporate development and strategic management.”
In the past, Markell served in several executive roles in consulting and investor relations. That includes serving on boards of contraceptive nonprofit Upstream USA, the now defunct blockchain company Symbiont.io and publicly traded gambling products company Light & Wonder, Inc., among many other roles.
U.S. SEC filings also indicate that Markell has rejoined the board of directors of Graham Holdings Company, a diversified company with holdings in media and digital media companies, health care groups, educational services and more. Incorporated in Delaware, Graham Holdings Company was the former owner of the Washington Post and Newsweek.
Markell served as a director of Graham Holdings Company between May 2017 and December 2021 when he was confirmed as an ambassador.
It remains to be seen how Markell’s involvement may shape the future of RSI which was awarded the only contract for a multi-year agreement to run the BetRivers sportsbook. That contract is for five years with the option of annual renewals.
However, online sports betting has become an explosive market. Even so, Delaware was one of the last states to cash in on the concept. Last year, a bill that would require Delaware to work with a second sports company in exchange for 18% of gross receipts was proposed but did not make it out of committee.
