Delaware, a place of great historical significance in the US, has legalized the burgeoning industry of sports betting in recent years. Join us as we navigate through the intricđacies 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 lawmakers to usher in online sports betting after nđeighbouring state Maryland officially launched in 2022, leaving Delaware as the only state in the region without any online sports betting.
You can bet in person at any of Delawareâs three retailâš 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 Delawareâs casinos toâ design new interfaces bearing their name, and online sports betting will now bođast its own âtabâ on each of the casinoâs sites.
Delaware signed a five-year ê§contract wâith RSI.
Delaware Sports Betting Timeline
While Delađwarđže sports betting dates back to colonial times, Iâm going to pick up from a more modern date:
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1937 â Delaware Park becomes the stađteâs first location to offer legal sports betting.
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1946 â Harrington Racâeway opens and starts taking bets on horses.
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1969 â Dover Downs,êŠż Delawareâs third racetrack, opens.
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1974 â Delaware establishes the stateâs lottery.
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2009 â An effort is made by Governor Jack Markell toï·œ expand the stateâs lottery product into full-scale sports betting, but a US circuit court rules against expansion due to the PASPA.
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2018 â After thđ°e PASPA is overturned, Delaware quickly launches their sports betting rollout.
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2023 â Delawareâs state lottery requests âšproposal from vendors who could provide online sports betting.
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2023 â Delaware Lottery reaches agreement with Rush Street Interactive with the operator aiming to provđĄide 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 â the 14th highest amount generated compared to other US states â fâ rom sports betting since it was legalized.
Delawareâs lack of online sportsbooks means their intake from sports ꊊbetting isnât as high compared to other states. However, the stateâs revđenue 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 October 2023 and a 40.8% rise from the previous month. In terms of sports betting revenue, Delaware raked in $2.6m in OctoberêŠ after recording a figure of $958,547 in September 2023.
Delađware Park is the mđČost popular location for sports betting in the 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 stateâs agreement with RSI should soon welcome online sꊫportsbooks to the state.
Since RSI currently operates its BetRivers online sportsbook in 15 US states as well as RushBet across Mexico, Delaware mobile sports betting should include the addition ođf BetRiver as an online operator.
At this point in time, there doesnât 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 lđegalized in Delaware in 2009 although sportsbooks could only begin to operate following the overturning of PASPA in 2018. both the House and Senate in May 2009, stating:
âThis 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.â
There are three main points of the law:
Sports bï·œetting is legal at the three racinos. Online sports betting is also legal, though no online books have launched in the state.
All three casinos share an annual $4.5m license fee, though itâs not restricted to sports betting specifically. They pay proportionately according to eđach propertyâs individual share of the video lottery market.
The state taxes sports betting revenues at a rate ofê§ 50%.
Another point worth noting is that bettors cannot place wađžgers on in-state collegeđ§ games.
Legal Sportsbooks in Delaware
Here are the current legal sportsbooks that operatđŠ©e 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 Delaware just yet. However, the recently agreed deal with RSI will welcome online operators tàČo the state this winter.
Land-based Delaware sportsbooks: Theê©Čre are three brick-and-mortar locatiđčons for sports 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 |
Ballyâs Dover Race & Sportsbook | Ballyâs Dover Casino Resort | 1131 N. DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901 | Yes | No | Yes |
Murphyâs Race and Sportsbook | Harrington Raceway and Casino | 18500 S. DuPont Highway, Harrington, DE 19952 | Yes | No | Yes |
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 exclusiê§ve benefits such as access to special promotions. There are 30 TVs installed so sports bettors can watch their games, with Delaware 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 outstanding 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 unfêŠŻold at the Sports Book Bar. Ballyâs sportsbook is extensive and allows Delaware sports bettors to bet on all of the leading professional and collegiate sports.
Harrington describe themselves as Delawareâs âpremierâ 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 USâ major sports â 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 types of cards, with each bringing their own đŠ©rewardđs.
Popular Sports To Bet on in Delaware
Football, basketbalâl, baseball, and ice hockey are popular betting options, but some might also enjoy more niche betting options such as lacrosse, gđłolf, or even soccer.
Best Local Sports Teams To Bet on in Delaware
There are currently no teams based in Delaware that are competing in a đŠmajor league of any sport. Nevertheless, plenty of people that live in Delaware will root for teams located in nearby major cities.
The Philadelphia sports teams, for instance, are well-supported, as are the NFLâs Baltimore Ravens and Washington Commanders.
The Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens currently rank among the NFLâs best. Both are tipped to reach the Super Bowl next year, with the Eagles losing out to the Kansas City Chiefs in last seasonâs Super Bowl having won their first championship in 2018. The Ravenđ s are two-time Super Bowl winners, but the newly-named Commanders havenât beeàœ§n relevant in a very long time.
đ The Phillies have competed in MLB since 1883, winniđng two championships. Their last World Series success came in 2008.
The Philadâelphia 76ers were revered for their swasê§hbuckling 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 havenât won a championship since 1983.
The most successful Philadelphia-based sports team has been the Flyers, who compete in the NHL. Their recent âhistory isnât quite so prosperous, but theyâve nonetheless won eight Stanley Cups and were the leagueâs dynastical franchise in the 70s.
Benefits of Regulated Delaware Sports Betting
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Generates a toân of tax revenue for the state (Delawareâs 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 á©á©á©á©á©á©â€â€â€â€á©â€â€â€â€á©â€â€â€â€á©đ±á©á©á©casinos means an increase in local job ođ»pportunities
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Easier to gauge problem gamblers and also easier for bettors to seeâk help if their gambling is spirê§ alling out of control
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Greater excitement for sports bettors when betting on local sports teams in neighbouđring states
How To Bet on Sports in Delaware
Given the absence of online sportsbooks, punters in Delaware can only bet on sports via the stateâs three brick-and-mortar locations weâve mentioned â Delaware Park Casino & Racing, Ballyâs Doveâr Casinâo Resort, 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 youâve probably gathered, while Delaware has legalized sports betting, the state is not a sports betting behemoth. Thus, its handles are not going to cà”©ompare to giants likeđ New Jersey or Nevada.
Since sports betting became legal in Delaware in 2018, the state has totaled a handle of $588,528,377 and recordedđ„ $115,893,442 in revenue. However, these figures rank fourth lowest and sixth lowest respectively compared to other US states.
Despite these unsurprisingly low rankings, Dà± elaware sports betting did enjoy a resurgence in October 2023, recording a â the highest monthly handle since êŠżOctober 2022.
Delaware Park once again topped the market charts, posting $368,904 in revenue off a $2.5m handle. Ballyâs Dover ranked second with revenue of $172,532 from a $1.2m handle in October, while the HarriâŠngton Raceway followed with $79,437 in revenue from a $554,958 handle.
Responsible Gambling in Delaware
The places an emphasis upon responsible gambling, their dedicated page providing several problem gambling resđ ources which include phone numbers and helpline websites.
States With Legal Sports Betting
At the time of writiêŠŹng, 33 states plus Washington ꊊDC have legalized sports betting in the US:
ThePuntersPage Final Say
While Delaware became one of the first states to introduce sports betting in 2018, đits coverage is undoubtedly pretty tame compared to others. Nevertheless, the stateâs agreement with RđSI is significant, and after seeing their neighbouring states proper form its introduction, Delaware will soon reap the rewards.
Delaware Resources
Delaware Sports Betting FAQs
Delaware cđurrently offers sports betting like any other state. You can bet on sports at three Deàœ§laware casinos, which also boast a sportsbook.
Yes, it has been legal since 2018 following thđȘe overturning of the PASPA.
While online sports betting is legal, there are currently no online sportsbookêŠs located in the state. As a result, there is no legal Delaware sports betting apđp out available.
You have to be 21 tđ«o participate in Delaware sports betting.
Delawareâ sports betting is overseen by the Delaware State Lottery Office.