Axel Wilks 
epa05489154 A ball rests at number 4 on the roulette table at the Casino (Spielbank) Hohensyburg, in Dortmund, Germany, 16 August 2016. The 'Westdeutsche Spielbanken (Westspiel)' casinos in North Rhine-Westphalia and Bremen are launching a promotional campaign with more games and larger jackpots. EPA/OLIVER BERG
While the online gambling market in Delaware isn’t as big as the Garden State, it is still holding its own and seeing increases in participation and revenues. Perhaps this change can be attributed to the recent COVID-19 pandemic that has swept across the country, keeping people home. To get them off the couch and indoors, they turned to online gambling sites. This social distending aspect has contributed to an increase in traffic for Delaware’s online gambling operators.
While Delaware has legalized online gambling, some observers predict that the state won’t regulate it. Perhaps this is because Delaware’s population is too small to support a major iGaming operation. If so, Delaware is one state that could lead the way in online gambling regulation. Regardless, online casinos in Delaware offer a safe and lucrative market for online casino operators and players. In addition to providing online gambling opportunities, state-regulated sites generate tax revenue for the state and support local economies.
Online gambling in Delaware isn’t a quick process. Delaware had to establish rules and regulations from scratch. In addition, Delaware’s law differed from other states’ gambling laws. While other states had legalized online gambling, Delaware had to work out a way to accommodate both state and federal laws. It is not yet known whether the law will apply in Delaware’s case, but the state’s leaders have made every effort to comply with the laws and regulations of other states.
One of the benefits of Delaware’s online gambling market is the diversity of casino games. The Delaware racinos work with William Hill and Scientific Gaming to provide games for residents to enjoy. Delaware’s offshore casinos require patrons to be 21 or older. Sports betting has also been available since 2018, after the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. A few years ago, the state only permitted sports betting at a few select locations.
As a progressive state in terms of gambling, Delaware has a history of legalizing sports betting in their casinos. Since sports betting is now legal, Delaware has been the first state to legalize parlay sports betting, which skirted the federal ban. The state lottery allows charitable gambling as well. With all of the legal gambling in Delaware, the state is likely to become a pioneer for new types of gaming.
The Delaware legal gambling industry is a small one, comprised of three land-based casinos and several mobile gaming websites. While land-based casinos have traditionally dominated the Delaware gambling industry, Internet-based gaming is quickly taking its place. Dover Downs Hotel has a 165,000-square-foot gaming floor and offers 3200 slots and 41 table games. In addition, Delaware offers a betting credit system, which magnifies the stakes and increases the player’s chances of winning.
Online gambling in Delaware has become legal due to the state’s easing of gaming laws. Currently, the state has three online gambling sites, and the state lottery chose their vendors. The state lottery also offers licenses for land-based casinos to operate their own online gambling sites. Although there are many advantages to choosing a Delaware online gambling site, it is important to be sure to find a site with the best reputation in the industry.
