Delaware, a place of great historical sš·ignificance in the US, has legalized the burgeoning industry of sports betting in recent years. Join us as we navigate through the intricacies of the Delaware sports betting landscape, including its regulations and offerings.
- 1 Is Sports Betting Legal in Delaware?
- 2 Delaware Sports Betting Timeline
- 3 Sports Betting Revenue & Taxation in Delaware
- 4 Top Sportsbooks in Delaware
- 5 Delaware Sports Betting Law & Regulations
- 6 Legal Sportsbooks in Delaware
- 7 Best Local Sports Teams To Bet on in Delaware
- 8 Benefits of Regulated Delaware Sports Betting
- 9 How To Bet on Sports in Delaware
- 10 Delaware Sports Betting Facts
- 11 Delaware Sports Betting Handle
- 12 Responsible Gambling in Delaware
- 13 States With Legal Sports Betting
- 14 ThePuntersPage Final Say
- 15 Delaware Resources
- 16 Delaware Sports Betting FAQs
Is Sports Betting Legal in Delaware?
Delaware was in fact, the first state in the US to legalize sports betting following the overturning of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 2018 by the Supreme Court.
So, online sports betting is legal, although there has been no official launch in the state. However, there has been a greater push by ālawmakers to usher in online sports betting after neighbouring state Maryland officially lauš§ønched in 2022, leaving Delaware as the only state in the region without any online sports betting.
You can bet in person at any oš“f Delawareās three retail gambling locations.
The Delaware Lottery did reach an in September and the state is hopeful about introducing online sports betting at some point this year. RSI will work with Delawareās casinos to design new interfaces bearing their name, and online sports betting will now boasź§t its own ātabā on each of the casinoās sitāes.
Delawą¦are signed a fivše-year contract with RSI.
Delaware Sports Betting Timeline
While Delaware sports betting dates šback to colonial times, šIām going to pick up from a more modern date:
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1937š ā Delaware Paš rk becomes the stateās first location to offer legal sports betting.
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1946 ā Harrington šRaceway opens and starts ļæ½ļæ½taking bets on horses.
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1969 ā Dover Downs, Deālawareās third racetrack, opens.
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1974 ā Delaware establishes the stateās lottery.
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2009 ā An effort is made by Governor Jack Markell to expand the stateāsź¦ lottery product into full-scale sports betting, but a US circuit court rules against expansion due to the PASPA.
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2018 ā After the PASPA is overturned, Delaware quickly launches their sportš¼s betting rollout.
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2023 ā Delawareās state lottery requests proposal from vendors who could prošvide ošnline sports betting.
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2023 ā Delaware Lottery reaches agreement with Rush Street Interactive with the operator aiming ļ·½to provideš§ the state with Delaware online sports betting.
Sports Betting Revenue & Taxation in Delaware
dictate that 50% of sports betting revenue is distributed to the State General Fund (SGF), 10% goes to racing purses, while the rest is commission for the racetrack casinos. The state has made approximately $69,471,162 in taxes ā the 14th highest amount generated compared to other US states ā from spoļæ½āļæ½rts betting since it was legalized.
Delawareās lack of online sportsbooks meansš„ their intake from sports betting isnāt as high compared to other states. However, the stateās revenue streams have started to show signs of life towards the end of 2023.
In October, punters spent $10.7m/ on sports betting, which is a 4.9% increase from Oąµ©ctober 2023 and a 40.8% rise from the previous month. In terms of sports bettiš ŗng revenue, Delaware raked in $2.6m in October after recording a figure of $958,547 in September 2023.
Delaware Park is the most popular location for sports betting in thešø state, and it was once again the market leader in October 2023.
Top Sportsbooks in Delaware
There are currently no Delaware sports betting apps, but the stateās agreement with RSI shoļ·½uld soon welcome online sportsbooks to the state.
Since RSI currently operļæ½ź¦ŗļæ½ates its BetRivers online sportsbook in 15 US states as well as RushBet across Mexico, Delaware mobile sports betting should include the addition of BetRiver as an online operator.
At this point in time, there doesnāt appear to be scope for major US sportsbooks such as FanDuel, BetMGM, and DraftKings to operate in Delaware.
Delaware Sports Betting Law & Regulations
Sports betting was legalized in Delaware in 2009 although sšportsbooks could only begin to operate following the overturning of PASPA in 2018. both the House and Senate in May 2009, stating:
āThis bill requires the Lottery Director to use his or her authority to reestablish a sports lottery, which will enhance the Delaware Lottery, protect Delaware employment, and provide additional revenues for the State. The sports lottery excludes collegiate sporting events that involve a Delaware college or university. Persons under the age of 21 will not be allowed to participate in the sports lottery.ā
There are three main points of the law:
Sports bettingš is legal at the three racinos. Online sports betting is also legal, though no ź¦online books have launched in the state.
All three casinos share an annual $4.5m license fee, though itās not restrictšed to sports betting specifically. They pay proportionately according to each propertyās individual shareā of the video lottery market.
The šstate taxes sports betting revenues at a rate of 50%.
Another poišnt worth noting is that bettors cannot place wagers on in-state college games.
Legal Sportsbooks in Delaware
Hereā± are the current legal sportsbooks that oź¦«perate in Delaware:
Delaware online sports betting and mobile sportsbooks: While online sports betting is legal in Delaware, there is currently no online sportsbooks available in Deš¼laware just yet. However, the recently agreed deal with RSI will welcome online operators to the state this winter.
Land-based Delaware sportsbooks: There are three brick-and-mortar locations š for āsports betting in Delaware:
Sportsbook | Venue | Address | Sports Betting | Online Betting | Off-track betting |
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Moneyline Sports Bar & Lounge | Delaware Park Casino & Racing | 777 Delaware Park Boulevard, Wilmington, DE 19804 | Yes | No | Yes |
Ballyās Dover Race & Sportsbook | Ballyās Dover Casino Resort | 1131 N. DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901 | Yes | No | Yes |
Murphyās Race and Sportsbook | Harrington Raceway and Casino | 18500 S. DuPont Highway, Harrington, DE 19952 | Yes | No | Yes |
š· Delaware Park is the most popular casino in the state, with sports bettors able to sign up for a player rewards card that gifts them exclusive benefits such as access to special promotions. There are 30 TVs installed so sports bettors can watch their games, with Delawareš Park sports betting allowing punters to place parlays, straight bets, round robins, teasers, futures, and a whole lot more.
Bally's Dover Casino Resort is the biggest casino in Delaware, and their outstandingā¤ resort is complemented by access to sports betting markets. Parlay cards are available every week during the football season, and bettors can watch all the action unfold at the Sports Book Bar. Ballyās sportsbook is extensive and allows Delaware sports bettors to bet on all of the leading professional and collegiate sports.
Harrington describe themselves as Delawareās āpremierā sportsbook, although their coverage is pretty similar to the other two locations. Nevertheless, Harrington certainly offers plenty of avenues for sports bettors, with a great emphasis placed on the USā major sports ā football, baseball, ice hockey, and basketball.
This sportsbook certainly seeks to take care of its customers, too, offering a myriad of sports betting bonuses at any one time for Players Club Card members. There are various typesš of cards, with each bringing their own rewards.
Popular Sports To Bet on in Delaware
Football, basketball, baseball, and ice hockey are popular bettinš§g options, but some might also enjoy more niche betting options such as lacrosse, golf, or even soccer.
Best Local Sports Teams To Bet on in Delaware
There are š¼currently no teams based in Delaware that are competing in a major league of any sport. Nevertheless, plenty of people that live in Delaware will root for teams located iān nearby major cities.
The Philadelphia sports teams, for instance, are well-supported, as are the NFLās Baltimore Ravens and Washington Commanders.
The Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens currently rank among the NFLās best. Both are tipped to reach the Super Bowl next year, with the Eagles losing out to the Kansas City Chiefs in last seasonās Super Bowl having won their first champš§ionship in 2018. The Ravens are two-time Super Bowl winners, but the newly-named Commanders havenāt been relevant in a very long time.
The Phišllies have competed in MLB since 1883, winning two championships. Their last World Series success came in 20š°08.
The Philadelphia 76ers were revered forš their swashbuckling style of basketball in the 70s and 80s when Julius Erving was dominating the sport. However, although the Sixers won a Conference title with Allen Iverson in 2001, they havenāt won a championship since š1983.
The most succą¦essful Philadelphia-based sports team has been the Flyers, who compete in the NHL. Their recent history isnāt quite so prosperous, but theyāve nonetheā less won eight Stanley Cups and were the leagueās dynastical franchise in the 70s.
Benefits of Regulated Delaware Sports Betting
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Generates a ton of tax šrevenue for theź©µ state (Delawareās sports betting tax rate is high at 50%)
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Produces a safer market for sports betting
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An increase in casš„inos means anā increase in local job opportunities
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Easier to gauge problem gamblers and also easier for bettors to seek help if tšheir gambling is spiralling out of control
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Greater excitement for sports bettors when betting on ź¦”local sports teams in neighboš±uring states
How To Bet on Sports in Delaware
Given the absence of online sportsbooks, punters in Delaware can only bet on sports via the stateās three brick-and-mortar locations weāve mentioned ā Delaware Park Casino & Racing, Ballyās Dover Casino Resort,š and Harrington Raceway and Casino, which offer sports betting to anyone who's 21 and older .
Delaware Sports Betting Facts
Launch date | 2018 |
Legal age | 21 |
Retail betting | Yes |
Online sports betting | No |
eSports betting | Yes |
College betting | Yes |
Mobile betting | No |
Taxable winnings | 50% |
Geolocation services | Yes |
Regulator | Delaware State Lottery Office |
Delaware Sports Betting Handle
As yš ·ouāve probably gathered, while Delaware has legalized sports betting, the state is not a sports betting behemoth. Thus, its handles are not going to compare to giants like New Jersey oąµ²r Nevada.
Since sports betting became legal in Delaware in 2018, the state has totaled a handle of $588,528,377 and recorded $115,893,442 in revenue. However, these figureš”s rank fourth lowest and sixth lowest respectively compared to other US states.
Despite these unsurprisingly low rankings, Delawaš³re sports betting did enjoy a resurgence in October 202š¦3, recording a ā the highest monthly handle since October 2022.
Delaware Park once again topped the market charts, posting $368,904 in revenue off a $2.5m handle. Ballyās Dovź¦¬er ranked second with revenue of $172,532 from a $1.2m handle in October, while the Harrington Raceway followed with $79,437 in revenue from a $554,958 handle.
Responsible Gambling in Delaware
ź¦æ The places an emphasis upon responsible gambling, their dedicated page providing several problem gamābling resources which include phone numbers and helpline websites.
States With Legal Sports Betting
At the time of writing, 33 states plus Washington āDC have legalized sports betting iź¦n the US:
ThePuntersPage Final Say
While Delaware became one of the first states to introduce sports betting in 2018, its coverage is undoubtedly pretty tame compared to others. Nevertheless, the stateās agreement with RSI is significant, and after seeing their neighbouring states proper form itšøs introduction, Delaware will soon reap the rewards.
Delaware Resources
Delaware Sports Betting FAQs
DāØelaware currently offers sports betting like any other state. You can bet on sports at three Delaware casinos, which also boast a sportsbook.
Yes, it has been legalš„ since 2018 following the overturning of the PASPA.
While online sports betting is legal, there are currently no online sportsbooks located in the state. As a result, there is no legal Delašware sports beātting app out available.
YoāØu have to be 21 to participate in Delaware sports betting.
Delaware sports betting is overseen by theā Delaware Statāe Lottery Office.