Delaware Online Gambling: Quick Facts
A Brief History of Delaware Gambling
Delaware online gambling is thriving. This state was the first to legalize online casino gaming. Not many states have followed Delaware in legalizing online casino gaming, so the legislature that implemented the law was a true pioneer.
Around 2010, the Delaware legislature was attempting to figure out a way to legalize online casino gaming. There was a bill called the Federal Wire Act of 1961 that was standing in their way. This act stated that no gambling could be done through telephone wires, which would rule out legal casino gaming.
In 2011, the Department of Justice made a statement clarifying that the Federal Wire Act of 1961 only applied to mobile sports betting. This opened the door for Delaware to legalize online casino gaming.
Online Gambling Made Legal
In 2012, the Delaware legislature passed the Gaming Competitiveness Act of 2012. This bill gave the Delaware Lottery the ability to open online casinos. Since DE was the first state to regulate online casinos, they had to make up their own laws.
The extensive legislative process did not allow online casino gaming to go live until 2014. The original goal was to launch online casinos in 2013. The DE Lottery stated that the three casinos in the state would have the exclusive right to online casino gaming.
The Delaware Lottery created a system where there is no competition. The sole provider who operates both online casinos is BetRivers (owned by Rush Street Interactive), which took over from William Hill (888).
Delaware Online Gambling: The Current Law
Legal Sportsbooks in DE
There is only one legal online sportsbooks in Delaware - BetRivers, which went live in January 3, 2024. DE has a unique setup because they have legal online sports betting, but the legislature has no concrete plans for implementation of more online sportsbooks.
Players that want to bet on sports legally in Delaware can therefore do so, either at one of the three land-based casinos in the state—now operated by BetRivers (RSI)—or online via the BetRivers app. William Hill (888Holdings) was the betting provider until its licence ran out in 2023.
The three physical casinos in the state of Delaware are: the famous Delaware Park Casino, Bally's Dover Casino, and Harrington Raceway and Casino.
Types of Betting in Delaware
With a choice of both online sites, and physical casinos, Delaware players have a range of betting options available. For casino fans, you can play at a number of table games including Blackjack, roulette and craps.
For sports fans, there's also a range of betting options to choose from. Delaware bettors will usually support the Orioles, Nationals, Ravens, Washington Football team, Wizards, Phillies, Eagles, etc. This usually depends on what portion of the state where a person lives.
The football team is in the FCS, and the basketball team competes in the Colonial Athletic Association. Delaware bettors favor the professional teams in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States.
Here's a general overview of the types of sports bets that you can place when betting in Delaware:
Moneyline
The moneyline is the most straightforward bet in sports betting. This is why it’s commonly used by all bettors in the industry. With the moneyline, you just have to pick one team to win. To win a moneyline bet, there is only one outcome that needs to occur for you to win. The team you choose must be ahead when the time expires.
Point Spread
The point spread bet is the great equalizer. This wager allows you to bet teams that are not favored to be within a certain number of points. Point spread bets are great when you do not think a team will win, but they will be able to keep the game close.
Point spreads are also great for favorites that you believe can win by a specific number of points. Example: Team A is a 6.5-point favorite, meaning that they are -6.5 in the sportsbook. This means that their opponent, Team B, would be +6.5.
If you bet Team A, they must win by seven. If you bet on Team B, they must lose by six or win the game.
Totals (Over/Under)
The over/under is a great bet because it involves both teams. A sportsbook will set a total number of points for a contest. You can either bet over or under this number.
You will win if you are correct at the end of the game. However, you can bet totals for specific points of a contest. You can also wager team totals.
Prop Bets
Prop bets are some of the best wagers in sport because they are fun. These bets involve individual players or team statistics. Some prop examples could include total touchdowns by a quarterback or how many three-pointers a team will make in a contest.
Future Bets
Future bets are when you wager on an outcome that is going to be determined in the coming months or years. Such future bets are very extensive, depending on the sportsbook. The common future bets are picking a league champion or MVP in the offseason before official play begins.
Parlay Bets
Parlay bets are when you combine multiple single bets into a group. This makes the bets tougher to win, but you will win more money if all the outcomes hit.
Parlay bets allow you to wager a small risk amount to win big. A great strategy is to choose heavy favorites because it increases your chances to win parlays.
Legal Online Poker in Delaware
A handful of states online poker. Delaware is one of these states with a large selection of online poker options. If you want to play online poker in DE, you can do so via the accompanying apps of three land-based casinos that are available in the state.
How to Set Up a Delaware Betting Account
Delaware is a great location to start online gambling and you can access legal online poker, casino games, horse racing, as well as the most recent legal addition of online sports betting via BetRivers app.
It’s straightforward to set up a Delaware gambling account. To do so, you need to proceed to one of the casino websites in the state, or download the apps. The sign-up process is the same through the website or mobile app, so this is a personal preference.
As previously mentioned, the other three casinos that you have access to in the Delaware market are:
1. Delaware Park Casino
2. Bally's Dover Casino
3. Harrington Raceway & Casino
Signing Up
To sign up for an account, you must be physically located in the state of Delaware. The website or mobile app will use your device’s GPS software to guarantee that you are in the state.
When you get on the app or website, click the sign-up button in the top portion of your screen and provide all your necessary information so that they can verify that you are legally old enough to use the site.
Delaware Online Gambling: Banking Methods
Delaware online gambling banking methods are not extensive. This is rare compared to other states, but it makes sense because Delaware has only given two companies the rights to offer online gambling.
Three deposit methods can be utilized on the sites. You can deposit through an ACH bank transfer, VISA credit/debit card, or a MasterCard. For withdraws, you can only access them through an ACH bank transfer.
To deposit, you must have an account on the site. Go to the deposit button and enter your card or bank information. You will then select the amount you want to deposit. The same applies to withdraws.
When you want to withdraw, go to your wallet on the site and click the withdraw button. You will choose the amount of money you want to take away from the site.
You should not have any concerns over entering your financial information on the website. The state lottery is regulating the platforms to keep your financial information safe with the highest levels of encryption.
The Future of Online Gambling in Delaware
Delaware has done everything that a state can do when it comes to online gambling. Delaware has online casino games and poker through the state lottery. The state legislature has legalized online sports betting, and established it via BetRivers (operated by RSI)
Delaware is surrounded by a sports betting mecca with New Jersey and Pennsylvania. It would be in Delaware’s best interest to enact more mobile sports betting operators to offer more competition in the state.
