Delaware Sports Betting 2020
In Delaware, betting on sports is legal. According to the state’s legislation, anyone that’s above 21 can now legally place single-game wagers. Although there aren’t any legal sportsbooks available online, bets can be placed in-person at the state’s three racinos.
Guide To Online Sportsbooks Delaware
The state of Delaware has sports betting available in-person at each of the state’s three racinos, which are essentially racetracks that also have casino gaming offered. Each of these physical sportsbooks has been licensed by the state to accept sports wagers.
Delaware was the first state (outside of Nevada) to take a legal sports bet after the Supreme Court struck down PASPA, the federal ban on sports betting. Officials deemed they didn't need to take any further legislative action because the state already had an exemption.
Although Delaware was one of the few states which already had some form of legal sports betting when PASPA was implemented, the state never allowed people to actually wager on individual games. These limited sports parlay options were offered via betting terminals run by the state’s lottery.
In 2009, Delaware passed a law allowing the state’s lottery to offer a more in-depth version of its parlay games, but federal law remained in its way. All of that changed when the Supreme Court’s May 2018 decision lifted the US federal ban on sports betting.
As per the legislation, the only sports betting you can do is in-person. The launch of online betting sites will just have to wait until being approved by the state of Delaware. Each of the sportsbooks available in Delaware is located at the state’s three racinos.
| Location | License | Online Partner |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware Park casino | Approved | N/A |
| Dover Downs | Approved | N/A |
| Harrington Raceway | Approved | N/A |
Gambling in Delaware Timeline
2018
The state passes legislation to approve single-game wagers and futures the month after the Supreme Court’s May decision that overruled the federal ban on sports betting.
2012
Delaware approves online casino gaming as well as online poker. This venture becomes a success because of the state’s existing gaming framework, plus its multi-state player pools.
2009
The state approves legislation that allowed sports betting via lottery-style parlay offerings.
1995
The state’s first video lottery terminals begin operations at Dover Downs and Delaware Park.
1994
Delaware passes the Horse Racing Preservation Act to help improve the revenues at of the state’s racetracks. This legislation allowed the installment of slot machines.
1974
Delaware establishes the state’s lottery and releases lottery games over the coming years.
1969
The state’s third racetrack, Dover Downs opens and begins taking bets on horse racing.
1946
The state’s second racetrack, Harrington Raceway opens and begins taking bets on horses.
1937
Delaware Park, the well-known racetrack officially becomes the state’s first operation to offer legal sports wagering.
1935
Delaware begins granting licenses to businesses so they can provide parimutuel betting machines and wagering inside licensed horse races.
1933
The state establishes regulatory authorities to clean up horse racing and replace business from black-market betting operations, forming the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission and the Harness Racing Commission.
1760
Horse betting is banned by Puritan colonists since the only sports that people bet on in Delaware during the time was horse racing.
