When Did Delaware Online Gambling Become Legal?
This state was the first one to completely allow online gambling in the USA. It legalized all casino games to be played over the Internet in 2012. Nevada licensed and regulated online poker a few months before, but it never went beyond that point.
In 2013, three Delaware online casinos started offering their services. Each of them originates from a land-based operator:
- Harrington Online
- Dover Downs Online Gaming
- Delaware Park Online
We should also mention the fact that many players access websites with offshore operator licenses. It’s great to have such competition, since it pushes the gambling sites from this state to get better.
Is Online Sports Betting Available in Delaware?
If Delaware is one of the few states with legit online gambling sites, then online sports betting shouldn’t be a problem, right? Wrong! Sports betting took a long time after the legalization of online casino games. In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court reviewed the 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) and allowed Delaware to start offering sports wagering.
Sports betting is a big matter in this state, but it’s still not available online.
Where Can You Bet?
Delaware Park is the most famous racetrack and casino. It has a sports betting venue, but the gamblers can only engage in parlay wagering on football games.
Harrington Raceway and Dover Downs are the other popular options for those who want to bet on live racing.
As for other sports, you can bet in the three casinos that legally operate in the state.
Legal Sports Betting Companies
Only the three casinos, which operate through Delaware’s state lottery, are allowed to offer sports wagering. Outside companies are not allowed to enter this market, and that’s why we’re not seeing the industry expanding online at the moment.
Technically, online sports betting is not illegal in the state. But we’re not getting the option, so we’re left with websites with off-shored licenses.
How Many Sports Can You Bet on?
Football is the most important sport in the USA, you can bet on all professionals and a few college teams. The full list of sports is a bit limited. You can also bet on soccer, auto racing, golf, professional hockey, professional and college basketball, and professional baseball.
Just a comparison: in Europe, you can also bet on tennis, boxing, cricket, rugby, golf, and much more. Olympic Games wagering is an option there, too.
In Delaware and all across the United States, sports betting is still in its infancy.
Online Horse Betting in Delaware
The three real money gambling sites do not include an online sports betting. Gamblers are left with other options for websites and sports betting apps. Some of them include Bovada, BetOnline, MyBookie, and 5Dimes.
If you’re interested in off-track betting, it’s available in Delaware Park Racetrack & Casino, Dover Downs Hotel & Casino, and Harrington Raceway & Casino.
Legal Online Casinos in Delaware
We mentioned these three casinos a few times by now, but those are the only ones that hold a license by the Delaware Gaming Commission. In essence, they are all managed by the 888 Holdings unified system.
The rewards systems at these casino sites are pretty good. As an example, Delaware Park offers a 100% deposit match. It also gives you a non-deposit bonus of 20 spins, just for registering.
Social Casino Site Options
MyVegas, Slotomania, Big Fish casino, Zynga, and other free apps enable social gambling with no money involved. This is an interesting opportunity for those who want to practice their skill.
MyVegas doesn’t work flawlessly in Delaware, since the players are not in close proximity to the locations of partner casinos.
Casino Games
Poker is the star game in all legit Delaware online casinos. They organize tournaments.
The other available games include:
- Slots and jackpot slots
- Blackjack
- Roulette
The casino websites look kind of outdated when compared to the most popular ones on international levels. That’s what the lack of competition does to the industry.
Online Poker Sites
Dover Downs, Delaware Park, and Harrington Gaming offer a legal online poker app, which allows you to join a game from any location in the state.
Delaware-based gamblers can also join the World Series of Poker through the official website. They play against gamblers from their own state, but from New Jersey and Nevada as well.
Delaware Online Lottery Games
Delaware Lottery is the major regulatory body for all types of gambling that occur within the state. It regulates not only lottery games, but slot machines, bingo, and other real money gambling activities as well.
Under the 1992 PASPA law, the Delaware Sports Lottery is also the body that regulates sports wagering.
Online Daily Fantasy Sports in Delaware
In 2017, Governor John Carney signed the Delaware Interactive Fantasy Contest Act. It allows Delaware residents to gamble online on interactive daily fantasy sports offered by legit online operators.
There are only three companies that can offer online wagering on daily fantasy Delaware gaming:
- Yahoo Fantasy Sports
- FanDuel
- DraftKings
This type of gambling comes with more liberal regulations: you must be at least 18 years old to participate in it. For other types of betting, 21 is the minimum age required.
The types of games included in fantasy sports include: hockey, basketball, football, baseball, hockey, and variations of these popular games.
How Good Are Delaware’s Land-Based Casinos?
The gambling industry in this state is focused on land-based resorts with horse racing facilities. The horse racing tracks are not impressive. All of them were built several decades ago, and haven’t seen too much progress since then.
But if we’re talking about casino games, the gamblers in Delaware can be happy.
- Delaware Park
Based in Wilmington, this is a must-visit destination for tourists and locals alike. The venue combines horse races, sports betting, and a brilliant selection of over 2,000 modern slot machines.
The casino is outstanding. Gamblers can play keno and all kinds of table games: Cajun Stud progressive, lucky ladies, hot roller craps, classic craps, 3-card poker progressive, blackjack, and much more.
- Dover Downs
Dover Downs is a spacious casino with over 2,200 slot machines (including progressive jackpot slots).
The current table game layout offers 36 live games, including blackjack, mini baccarat Macau style, pai gow poker, roulette, craps, 3-card poker, Cajun Stud, and more.
- Harrington Raceway
This casino features a selection of over 1,800 slot machines. It also offers sports betting, simulcasting, and a variety of table games. Its focus is on the horse races.
Do you know what gamblers love the most about it? The affordable drinks! The small sandwich stand is also great; it gives you affordable and delicious snack options. It’s a charming casino that aims for the “Vegas” feel in a much more affordable way. Even if you don’t plan to invest a lot of money in a gambling night out, it’s perfect!
How to Deposit and Withdraw from Delaware Gambling Sites
The best part about the casinos offering online casino games in Delaware is that they allow you to use NETELLER. It’s weird to mention it as an advantage, but when compared to the WSOP website (which is the only online gambling option in Nevada), it’s great to see it. This eWallet enables instant deposits.
The other deposit options include MasterCard and Visa debit/credit cards, and a bank transfer.
The minimum deposit on all three legit sites is $10.
You can request withdrawals with the same banking methods that are valid for deposits.
What’s the Minimum Age for Online Gambling in Delaware?
If you want to play on table games, slots, and poker sites, you have to be at least 21 years of age.
You must not lie about your age and identity during the registration process. Just as a casino would require your ID before allowing you to enter the gambling halls, an online gambling process is also based on a proof of identity.
The Delaware casinos put their gamblers through age verification processes when they create a profile. They may call them by phone or require a copy of an ID document.
The minimum gambling age for horse racing and fantasy sports wagering is lower. You must be at least 18 years of age to engage in those activities.
About Charitable or House-Based Gambling
The Board of Charitable Gaming is the regulatory body that controls this type of gambling. Before selling raffle tickets and hosting a charitable gaming event, the organizations must receive a permit from that authority. The types of casino games allowed under this category include Texas Hold’em tournaments, raffles, instant or sealed games, bingo, and more. Baccarat, craps, roulette, and slot machines are excluded.
House-based gambling is a controversial category. Delaware strictly prohibits gambling outside its three licensed casinos. Only non-profitable and friendly games are allowed as forms of house-based gambling. No real money involved!
FAQ
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Does Delaware have any legal betting tracks?
- Yes! Delaware Park is the oldest track, which was established right after horse racing was legalized back in 1933. Known as DelPark by its fans, it’s the only location in Delaware for thoroughbred horse racing. Race betting is available from April to November. The Dover Downs Racetrack hosts harness racing events from October through April. The third option is Harrington Raceway, which hosts live races from August to October. Basically, you can bet on lice horse racing throughout the entire year.
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Does Delaware allow off-track betting?
- Off-track betting is only available through sites licensed by off-shore authorities. Busr.ag is one of those websites. It’s licensed by the Government of Curacao. If you are based in Delaware, the site will accept you to place bets on all live race events. You can bet via mobile, too.
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Are there taxes on winnings?
- Taxes are a big issue for gambling in Delaware Sportsbooks have to pay 50% of their profit to the state. That’s why we’re not seeing more venues being launched across the state or companies offering online wagering under a Delaware license. The casinos pay a massive annual license fee of $50K. Until a new casino meets the threshold of $3.75 million, it pays 100% of its gross gambling revenues as tax to the state. After that, until it reaches 5 years of existence, the site pays a 34% tax on poker and 43.5% tax on slots revenue. The state authorities justify this policy under the term “revenue sharing.” They don’t say that they tax the casinos, but they consider their partners and they share the revenue. But the players have an advantage: Delaware does not charge any state taxes on lottery winnings for its resident. If you are a non-residents, you’ll pay a tax but you can file a tax return. You should keep the federal tax in mind. If you report your winnings on a Form W-2G, the federal government will tax you with 25%.
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Is social gaming allowed in Delaware?
- You can use social gaming apps, but you cannot play for real money through them.