Gaming Laws in Delaware
Federal legislation banned sports betting across the United States in 1992. Delaware was one of only four states in the country to avoid this ban, being grandfathered in since it already had legalized betting on the books.
The state took advantage of this status in 2009 when it legalized sports betting and casino table games. A Federal act was signed that same year to limit pro sports betting to NFL parlays, but at least residents of Delaware have something when it comes to legal sports betting.
Online Poker
In 2012, Delaware became the first state in the United States to legalize online gambling. The state not only offers legal and regulated online poker to its residents, but also offers other casino gambling online as well.
Online poker in Delaware got even better in 2014 when the state signed a deal with Nevada to open up intrastate liquidity sharing among its poker rooms. With this law passing, residents of Nevada are allowed to play in Delaware's online poker rooms and vice versa. This increases the player pool in both markets to allow both states to make more money and players in these states to play in better games.
Sports Betting in Delaware
Sports betting is legal in the state of Delaware, making the state one of only four in the country that is able to offer some form of legal wagering to its residents. Unfortunately, sports betting in live casinos is limited only to the NFL and only to parlay cards in which players must pick at least three sides per card. Still, being able to legally bet on a sport, especially as big as the NFL, is refreshing compared to the rest of the country.
Online Betting
For bettors looking to bet on other sports and have a wider variety of options, offshore sportsbooks are a great option. Sports betting sites that are located in other countries are outside of the legal boundaries of the United States and can therefore offer their services to USA residents without legal recourse.
On the state level, there isn't a much safer place to bet on sports online than Delaware. The Delaware Code has no specific laws against sports betting, online betting, or player wagering; only against bookmaking and advancing gambling. Considering that sports betting in Delaware is legal and that there have never been any charges brought against a Delaware resident for betting online, this is a gambling-friendly state.
Poker and Casino in Delaware
Delaware has three active “racinos”; Delaware Park in Wilmington, Dover Downs in Dover and Harrington Raceway in Harrington. A “racino” is a horse racing track that also doubles as a casino. All three of these establishments offer slot machines, table games, and horse racing.
All three of these casinos also have live poker rooms. Delaware Park has the biggest live poker room in the state with 45 tables and offers a wide variety of live games and tournaments year round.
Online Gambling
In addition to Delaware's selection of live poker rooms, residents of the state also have the luxury of playing online poker completely legally. With a player pool that includes residents of Nevada, finding games online at various stakes is easier than ever before in Delaware. And with the state's casinos running the poker rooms, making deposits and withdrawals in person is fast and easy.
And Delaware's online freedom doesn't stop there. Residents of the state can play their favorite table games and slot machines for real money from the comfort of their own home as well. In fact, players can even take their gambling on the road with mobile gaming, which is completely legal and regulated in Delaware.
Other Gaming Options in Delaware
The three live casinos in Delaware have it all. On top of slot machines and table games, all three casinos in Delaware are also raceways with two offering live harness racing and one offering standard thoroughbred racing. Horse players can also bet on other races that are being simulcast from around the country.
Delaware Lottery
The Delaware Lottery includes multi-state games such as the Powerball, Mega Millions, Lucky For Life and Hot Lotto, in-state draw games and scratchcard instant win games. One of the most popular state-exclusive games is Delaware Keno, which is drawn every few minutes and can be played across the state.