At 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 5, Delaware will launch a full-scale sports gaming operation at all three casinos in the state – Delaware Park, Dover Downs Hotel & Casino, and Harrington Raceway & Casino.
Betting will include single-game and championship wagering on professional baseball, football, hockey, basketball, soccer, golf, and auto racing.
The Delaware Department of Finance, in consultation with the Attorney General’s Office, determined there are no legal obstacles to moving forward with full-scale sports betting in Delaware following the U.S. Supreme Court decision on May 14 to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act.
The Supreme Court decision had been anticipated and Delaware had some mechanisms in place, due to the legality of parlay betting on multiple NFL games.
Under state law passed in 2009, Delaware may authorize betting on professional and collegiate sports, with the exception of games involving Delaware-based teams. The law was only partially upheld.
Neighboring New Jersey pressed for full repeal of the ban on sports betting, which had been limited to Nevada. The state had been grandfathered in after the passage of a law outlawing sports betting at casinos.
To prepare and educate new consumers, the Delaware Lottery has published an online “how-to-bet guide” for SportsPick, the Delaware sports gaming product.
“Delaware has all necessary legal and regulatory authority to move forward with a full-scale sports gaming operation, and we look forward to next week’s launch,” said Gov. John Carney. “We’re hopeful that this will bring even more visitors into Delaware to see firsthand what our state has to offer.”
“We have worked closely with Delaware’s three casinos to train lottery and casino staff in preparation for a launch of expanded sports betting, and Delaware is prepared to move forward,” said Rick Geisenberger, Secretary of the Delaware Department of Finance, which oversees the Delaware Lottery. “We will continue to provide public updates and additional information through the Delaware Lottery ahead of next week’s launch.”
