Online Casinos Delaware
The nickname ‘the First State’ is very befitting for the legal status of online casinos Delaware because this was the unexpected pioneer in the realm of online gambling in the USA. Beating Nevada and New Jersey to the leadership in legalizing online gambling, Delaware was the first to authorize online casino games, poker, and charitable games in 2012.
- Delaware gambling law checked by experts
- Currently active Delaware gambling laws
- Prognosis of online casinos in Delaware
- 0 Legal Online Casinos
- 0 Legal Land Based Casinos
- 0 Lottery Games
- 0 Legal social Casinos
- Responsible Gaming
- Delaware Division of Gaming Enforcement
Delaware Online Casinos – Laws in Delaware
Delaware online casinos were fully regulated in 2012 when Gov. Jack Markell signed the Delaware Gaming Competitiveness Act. The bill allowed the state lottery to offer various online gambling options such as table games, online slots, and, of course, lotto tickets. It’s been almost a decade now since online gaming was legalized, and the future of Delaware online gambling laws looks certain – no major changes are expected.
Still, you can track DE laws for any updates on mobile sports betting which is officially legal but not offered. Do not mistake this for a general lack of sportsbooks. Offline and online sports betting is legal in Delaware, and there are three retail sportsbooks within the DE licensed racinos currently operating.
Historic Timeline of Gambling in Delaware
Let us give you a super short preview of the DE history of gambling. Delaware gambling laws date back to 1933, when the Racing Commission was founded. Actually, one of the oldest land-based casinos in Delaware, that started as a horse racetrack was established in 1937. Then, in 1975, the Delaware Lottery was established. Almost 30 years later, in 2012, House Bill 333 was passed, and the first Delaware online gambling laws were introduced.
2018 marked the introduction of fully regulated sports betting with Delaware being the first state outside Nevada to allow it. The state took advantage of a Supreme Court ruling that overturned a federal ban on all sports betting. The anti-gambling law called PASPA was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush and prohibited commercial betting in most US states.
The US Gambling History Throughout the Years
America’s gambling history is multifaceted. During the settlement, the attitude towards gambling varied in different communities, which was reflected in their state laws. However, pre-revolutionary America showed a tendency to restrict gambling, and there were just a few places like New Orleans and riverboat casinos where you could gamble legally. To this day, the gambling topic remains very controversial, and not many states have authorized games of chance. Here are the only states in the US with legal online casinos and licenses:
- New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement
- Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
- Delaware Division of Gaming Enforcement
- West Virginia Lottery
- Michigan Gaming Control Board
The Interstate Wire Act of 1961
The Federal Wire Act of 1961 was signed by President John F. Kennedy, imposed a ban on all “betting on sports or contests” via wire communication between the different US states. Throughout the years, there was a lot of legal mumbo jumbo on whether the Act prohibits all types of gambling or is limited to sports wagers.
In 2011, the Office of Legal Counsel issued a memo stating that lotteries and non-sports intrastate gambling fell outside of the scope of the Act. This was a game-changer for the Delaware online gambling laws and created a good opportunity for legalizing other types of gambling.
The 2011 Poker’s Black Friday
On April 15, 2011, all online poker players at Full Tilt, PokerStars, and Absolute Poker were greeted with a DOJ seizure notice upon entering the sites. No one expected this. No one was prepared for this. DOJ accused the top executives of the ‘Big 3’ of fraud and immediately shut down their domains. This had catastrophic consequences on the US poker industry in the long term. Locally, the Delaware online casinos remained unaffected, though.
Popular Online Casino Games in the US
Online Blackjack in Delaware
We already cleared out that the games found at the locally licensed Delaware online casinos are identical. So, we can only add that the only variation available is Side Bets Classic Blackjack, which is just a variation of the American ruleset. This is no surprise, though, because it’s the best-liked blackjack version in DE anyway.
This game of online blackjack in Delaware offered is developed by Section 8 Studio. Side Bets Classic Blackjack has quite a few features to keep you entertained – multi-hand bets and side bets such as perfect pairs and 21+3. You can adjust the game to your liking by choosing the table color. The number of playing hands can be from 1-5, table limits, and much more.
Online Roulette in Delaware
Similarly, there is just one variation of roulette in the three online casinos Delaware has authorized. Of course, the variation played is American Roulette. Developed by Section 8 Studio, the proprietary software provider of 888 Holdings, this table offers even more betting options because of the 00-bet added.
We believe online roulette in Delaware is yet to become more varied and sought-after. Currently, the regulated operators haven’t invested much in both online and offline roulette. Land-based DE casinos do not offer a wider choice of roulette tables. There are usually just several automated roulette tables with a $5-$10 min bet. At least, the bet limit is lower online.
Online Slots in Delaware
Many US states hesitate to legalize online casino games but still offer other types of online gambling like lottery or instant games. Some states, like New Hampshire, where slots are banned, try to advertise Lucky 7 machines as the closest thing to slots legal in the state. But real online slots are almost always under a strict prohibition. Not here. Delaware online casinos readily offer slots.
Some of the biggest names in the iGaming industry provide online slots at the casinos – WMS, Bally Technologies, Shuffle Master. There are also some 888 exclusives, such as the Casino Reels progressive jackpot slot. Other popular online slots in Delaware include The Anchorman, Monopoly Mega Movers, and Millionaire Gennie.
Online Poker Delaware
Under the Delaware online gambling laws , online poker is completely legal. In fact, the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement even allows poker players from Delaware to compete against rivals from Nevada, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. All three online casinos Delaware sites offer separate poker platforms with poker rooms and tournaments, reachable from the homepage.
Online poker in Delaware is also available at the casino sites. Poker variants such as Texas Hold’em and Omaha are well-liked by the local DE gamblers both on and offline There are regular tournaments and cash games also. You could even invite friends and play online with them.
Land Based Casinos in Delaware
| Delaware Park | 🍒 2000 slot machines, 🃏 40 table games |
|---|---|
| Dover Downs | 🍒 2200 slot machines, 🃏 36 table games |
| Harrington Raceway | 🍒 1400 slot machines, 🃏 30 table games |
Land-Based VS. Online Casinos
Currently, there’s something of a paradox about land-based vs. online gambling in Delaware. Usually, online casinos have richer game catalogs compared to offline ones. That’s not the case in Delaware, though. With only one variation of roulette and blackjack and 100+ online slots, the three operators cannot match the variety they offer offline.
The Future of Online Casinos in Delaware
The Future of Gambling in Delaware
There’s not much to be added to the variety of legal gambling activities in Delaware. You could gamble on pretty much anything with two small exceptions – you can’t place wagers on elections, and betting in bowling alleys is not allowed. 888 Holdings and Scientific games operate the online casinos in the state, William Hill operates the sportsbooks. And the only thing, which technically is allowed by the Delaware online gambling laws, but still not offered is mobile sports betting. But that should be an easy fix in the near future.
Conclusion – Online Gambling Delaware: 3 Online Sites
FAQs
We’ll be wrapping this article with a very short FAQ section where you will be able to get a summary of all the information we collected on this page. If you have any further questions regarding the Delaware gambling laws, feel free to contact us on our editorial email.
Online & Offline Casinos in Other States
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming