Delaware Online Gambling

Delaware online gambling has always been ahead of the curve, launching the first online casinos in the United States back in 2013. Today, both online and land-based Delaware gambling is popular in the state. As a small state, options are somewhat limited, but you can enjoy almost any kind of gaming you want in Delaware.

Delaware online gambling has always been ahead of the curve, launching the first online casinos in the United States back in 2013. Today, both online and land-based Delaware gambling is popular in the state. As a small state, options are somewhat limited, but you can enjoy almost any kind of gaming you want in Delaware.

Available in this state

• Daily fantasy sports
• Casino
• Poker

Online Sports Betting in Delaware

Surprisingly, Delaware online sports betting isn’t available yet. This may come as a surprise as legal sports betting in Delaware has existed for decades, dating back even before the Supreme Court overturned the ban on new states regulating sports wagering in 2018.

You may know that when that ban – known as the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) – went into effect, only Nevada had full sportsbooks, and no new states were able to allow them. A handful of other states had limited sports betting options, including Delaware, which had previously offered parlay betting on NFL weekends through the state lottery.

That meant that you couldn’t bet on individual NFL games. When Delaware Lottery sports betting came back in 2009, you could play a parlay card at the same stores where you could buy lottery tickets. That experience gave the Delaware gambling industry a leg up on the competition when the sports betting ban was struck down.

In June 2018, Delaware beat New Jersey to become the first new state to offer single-game sports betting outside of Nevada. Sportsbooks are now available at all three land-based casinos in Delaware.

Unfortunately, none of these three casinos has yet to offer online sports betting. The three Delaware sports betting casinos have the only sportsbook licenses in the state, under the oversight of the Delaware Lottery. None of the three have yet developed a mobile app, though the state lottery has said no legal hurdles are preventing online betting from taking place. No regulations have been established for Delaware online sports betting either.

Top Delaware Casino Sites

Online casinos are licensed and regulated in Delaware. If you are looking for gambling casinos in Delaware, try signing up at one of our recommended sites in the state today!

Online Casinos in Delaware

Delaware was the first state to launch full online casinos in the USA. Delaware and other states became more comfortable with the idea of regulating online gambling after the US Department of Justice issued a legal opinion in 2011 saying that the Wire Act only applied to sports events, and thus would not apply to other forms of online gambling.

The Delaware legislature passed laws in 2012 to help keep the state at the forefront of the gaming industry. In November 2013, Delaware online gambling sites took their first real money bets, becoming the first full-scale, regulated online casinos in the United States. Previously, Nevada had offered online poker but did not have regulated online casino games.

Delaware online gambling was different. The state’s three brick-and-mortar casinos – Delaware Park, Dover Downs, and Harrington Raceway – collectively launched an online casino platform that included slots, table games, and other games. That same platform and complement of games are available to you in Delaware today.

Top Delaware Poker Sites

Online poker is fully legal and regulated in Delaware, having become legal at the same time as online casinos. You can play your first hand of Delaware online poker today by signing up at one of our top-rated sites!

Online Poker in Delaware

When Delaware online gambling got started in 2013, poker was part of the package offered by online casinos. Poker players in Delaware could now play on a site that offered Texas Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha in both cash game and tournament formats.

The one issue was that Delaware was a very small state with a tiny population. That meant that Delaware online poker was hampered by a lack of players, which meant it was difficult to keep cash games running or host large tournaments.

In 2015, Delaware and Nevada began solving that issue by launching an interstate compact that allowed players from both states to play against each other. The liquidity of Delaware online poker improved by leaps and bounds in 2018 when players from New Jersey were also allowed to join the network.

Top Delaware Daily Fantasy Sites

Daily fantasy sports sites are legal and regulated in Delaware. However, only licensed operators can offer DFS games in the state

Daily Fantasy in Delaware

Daily fantasy sports sites were active in Delaware in the early years of the industry. But as in most states, this was done without any specific regulation on DFS sites.

That’s why in 2016, the Delaware Department of Justice sent a cease-and-desist letter to major daily fantasy sports sites. According to officials, DFS was subject to Delaware gambling law, and as such couldn’t be offered in the state without a gaming license.

That issue was settled when Delaware lawmakers passed legislation in 2017 that specifically legalized and regulated daily fantasy sports. The new rules allowed DFS sites to apply for licenses to let players in the state participate in their contests. Today, there are several Delaware fantasy sports sites, though they are subjected to relatively high fees and taxes, and they cannot offer contests based on college sports.

Online Lottery in Delaware

The Delaware Lottery cannot sell any of its lotto products online under state law. However, it’s important to remember that the Delaware Lottery oversees all gambling in the state.

That means that the state lottery has lots of influence over Delaware gambling. For instance, both online casino and online poker sites in the state are under the jurisdiction of the Delaware lottery, as is land-based sports betting and casino play.

Gambling in Delaware Conclusion

Delaware has earned its reputation as a leader in the American online gambling landscape. Delaware online gambling may be a relatively small industry, but the state was the first in the nation to offer full online casino options. The only major form of Delaware gambling that isn’t yet online is sports betting, and with no real legal hurdles standing in the way, there’s an excellent chance that you will be able to bet on sports over the internet in the state before long.

FAQs

Can you gamble online in Delaware?

Online gambling is legal and available in Delaware, though not all forms of internet gaming are regulated in the state. Delaware online gambling includes casino games, poker, and daily fantasy sports, but online sports betting and lottery sales are not yet available.

Is FanDuel Sportsbook legal in Delaware?

FanDuel Sportsbook is not currently available in the state of Delaware. The Delaware lottery controls sports betting in the state, offering it in partnership with the three casinos in the state.

Does Delaware have casinos?

Yes, online casinos are legal and regulated in Delaware. There are also three brick-and-mortar casinos in Delaware: Delaware Park Casino, Dover Downs Casino, and Harrington Raceway & Casino.

Where can I bet on sports in Delaware?

Legal sports betting in Delaware is available at any of the state’s three live casinos. At this time, no regulated Delaware online sports betting is offered.

Author

Ed Scimia

Ed Scimia is a freelance writer who specializes in coverage of the gaming industry. He graduated from Syracuse University in 2003 with degrees in Magazine Journalism and Political Science. Ed is also the author of So Bad, It’s Good, a book on great movies for bad movie nights. In his free time, Ed is a competitive curler who coaches the Yale curling team.

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