Rush Street Interactive Stock Could Be Winning 2026 Bet

• It’s been a star among iGaming/sports betting equities in 2025
• Analyst says the stock enters 2026 with tailwinds
• Online sports betting remains a “steady” growth industry

In arguably quiet fashion, Rush Street Interactive (NYSE: RSI) is up nearly 41% year to date, easily making it one of the best-performing gaming stocks of any variety. Some on Wall Street believe the good times will continue in 2026.

In a Monday report to clients, Jefferies analyst David Katz reiterated a “buy” rating on Rush Street while boosting his price target on the stock to $30 from $27, implying upside of more than 50% from the shares’ close on December 22. He said the stock heads into 2026 with catalysts, including the elimination of an onerous tax in Colombia.

RSI should see a considerable tailwind from the removal of the value-added tax (VAT) in Colombia at YE25, which drives our ~15% upward revision to FY26E adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA),” notes Katz.

In January, Colombia declared a state of fiscal emergency – a move that was followed the next month by a presidential decree implementing a 19% value-added tax on player deposits, meaning the tax resulted in a headwind to operators’ profits.

Rush Street Interactive Stock Can Benefit from OSB Growth

On the US online sports betting (OSB) stage, Rush Street isn’t as prominent as some larger competitors, but the company can still benefit from what Katz describes as a steadily growing industry.

“While the increase has unsurprisingly been led by males ages 18-44 (up ~10pts from 1/22 to 11/25), we have also seen a ~5pt increase in 18-44 females, indicating that OSB may be reaching new demos not previously considered by investors,” observes Katz.

Specific to Rush Street and its stock, the operator has been steadily profitable over the past several years, with Katz pointing out the management has “demonstrated reliability.”

Rush Street Interactive Stock: Anti-Prediction Markets Play?

The 2025 performance delivered by RSI is all the more surprising and alluring at a time when rivals DraftKings (NASDAQ: DKNG) and Flutter Entertainment (NYSE: FLUT) faltered in part due to prediction market headlines.

Rush Street is staying out of that fray, potentially showing investors the benefits of an iGaming-first model that keeps it out of state regulators’ crosshairs.

Earlier this year, RSI CEO Richard Schwartz said the company is monitoring the prediction markets industry, noting the company could benefit if yes/no exchanges create gaming tax erosion in states because that could compel some jurisdictions to approve iGaming to bolster their coffers.