Sports Betting Goes Full Throttle in Delaware

Not long ago, the state of Delaware announced its plans of becoming the first territory to start accepting wagers on sports events. Weeks after the Supreme Court lifted the federal ban, The Small Wonder is ready to implement full-scale sports betting operations, as three casinos launched all-out services on Tuesday, June 5th at exactly 1:30 PM. In a way, the decision represents a historic moment, as it marks the first implementation of legalized sports wagering in the U.S. after the Supreme Court repealed PASPA (Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act).

Having begun on June 5th, sports enthusiasts are allowed to place their bets on sports such as baseball, football, hockey, basketball, soccer, golf etc. in three casinos: Delaware Park, Dover Downs Hotel & Casino, and Harrington Raceway & Casino. Other sports including tennis, boxing, as well as mixed martial arts will be added at a later point. Meanwhile, the Delaware Lottery website has published a how-to-play guide, containing rules and regulations for betting on the aforementioned sports. Important to mention is that in-depth sports betting will only be available at regulated sportsbooks.

Earlier in May, Delaware acted quickly to legalize sports betting, which confirmed the governor’s efforts to gain legal and regulatory authority before launching extensive gaming services and training lottery staff. According to the secretary of finance, Rick Geisenberger, the state will continue to provide public updates, as well as additional guidelines through the Delaware Lottery.

Full-scale sports betting will be powered by Scientific Games, since the state has a contract with the company dating back to 2009. Casino content, management service and further expansions will be exclusively regulated by SG, and pursuant to its senior vice president, Pat McHugh, it is entirely relevant that The First State ­expanded regulated sports betting after the PASPA ruling. Delaware has a long history of being first at many things, and providing an integrated sports betting program to its casinos and lottery retailers is a privilege, added McHugh.