Delaware Wants to Expand Sports Betting Online

Delaware is still limited to land-based sports gambling, although it’s one of the few states that offers iGaming, i.e. online casinos. This dichotomy, although surprising, is pretty much the status quo to date, and there seems to be little movement to change it.

Delaware House Group Takes a Look at the Future of Regulated Online Gambling

That is unless you consider a Delaware House working group which suggests in a new report that the state should do more to promote online sportsbooks that are competitive and can keep the handle in-state.

Delaware is a state of just one million people, but it can pull greater numbers, legislators believe when it comes to sports gambling handle that is only if there is the infrastructure to support this growth.

With 90% of all wagers in the nation placed online – a rough but accurate estimate – Delaware is now a laggard. Delaware has already benefited from sports wagering, with $62.6 million collected in tax, but many estimate that there could be more done to make a meaningful contribution to this tally.

The House Internet Sports Lottery Legislative Working Group says that Delaware must do more. There are the neighboring states all of which are launching or have already launched online sports betting, including Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, which posted record numbers in November again.

Of course, there are a fair number of criteria and considerations to factor in. For one, Delaware is a state that hosts racetracks, and the state has been adamant about protecting those.

In fact, early-day hesitation to pass and promulgate interactive sports gambling has stalled mostly because of fear of what the repercussions on the racetracks would be.

The Future of Sports Gambling in DE Is Online

No exact model has been proposed to this day, but racetracks will likely partner with third parties and host digital skins. The group though is confident that this is indeed the correct way to move forward.

“From our review and our perspective, we think that having more is better for lotteries because it creates more competition, it ensures that everyone has a good platform, and it allows more options for the public to choose what they want to do,” a member of the working group stated, outlining the high hopes that some members of the legislature have for a future in which Delaware embraces online sports betting to the benefit of business, state, and punter.