Delaware Online Gambling

Everything you need to know about online poker, casinos, & DFS in DE: Expert reviews, welcome bonuses, app analysis, FAQ, & more.
Last updated: May 2023

What forms of gaming are permitted in Delaware?

Online Casinos

Online Sports Betting

Online Poker

Fantasy Sports

Online Lottery

Land-Based Casinos

A relatively small and unassuming state, Delaware was the first to adopt online gambling in the US, with first legal online casinos launched all the way back in 2013, even before Nevada and New Jersey did the same. Up until 2017, Delaware was one of only three states to allow legal online gambling of any sort.

When it comes to live gambling operations, Delaware hosts three racinos, which are the only venues that offer gambling in the state. Online gambling in the First State is controlled and regulated by the Delaware Lottery, and all three of the live racinos operate one online casino and one online poker room.

Delaware also offers legal sports betting, but only live betting is live at the moment, operated by William Hill at the racinos. Online sports betting is technically legal, but no operators are live yet, possibly due to the relatively small player pool that could be reached in Delaware.

Keep reading to find out even more about legal online gambling in the state of Delaware, the options you have, and the ways to distinguish good legal operators from ones operating without a license. We provide you with the necessary tools to have a great online gambling experience, so make sure you use them so you could enjoy Delaware online gambling to the fullest extent.

Types of Legal Online Gambling Available in Delaware

When it comes to online gambling, Delaware is a very open state, with all forms of online gambling currently legal. Let’s take a look at the forms of online gambling you can enjoy in The First State:

Online Casinos and Online Poker

Delaware was one of the first states to legalize online gambling in some form back in 2013. The bill that was introduced back then allowed the three racinos in the state to run online casino and online poker skins, which they gladly took the opportunity to do.

Today, you can play online casino games or online poker on a separate app for each of the three of the state’s racinos. While these are not massive operations, they are powered by 888 Gaming and Scientific Games, which means the platforms are quite high-quality.

Delaware is also one of the few states that have entered the multi-state agreement with Nevada, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania when it comes to online poker. This allows players on the 888poker platform to play with others from outside of Delaware, a trend that other states are likely to follow in the near future.

Online Sports Betting

All sports betting in Delaware is powered by William Hill, one of the biggest bookmakers in the world. While the three racinos each boast a William Hill sportsbook for retail betting, there have not been any online sports betting sites launched in the state up to this date.

The reason for the lack of online betting probably has to do with the relatively small population of Delaware, as William Hill and their live partners appear content to offer retail betting at the moment and not delve into online too much. Online sports betting has been legal since 2018.

The three live racinos at which you can find sports betting are:

  • Bally’s Dover
  • Delaware Park Racetrack
  • Harrington Raceway & Casino

Daily Fantasy Sports

Daily fantasy sports were legalized in Delaware in 2017, when they became the 14th state to make such activities legal. Since then, operators such as DraftKings have entered the market and have been providing the DFS services in full. DFS is not massive in Delaware, but if you like playing it you will have no legal obstructions within the state.

While Delaware does host legal online gambling, a number of offshore sites also offer services to players from the state. These operators do not have any operating licenses within the US and as such are not legal entities in Delaware or the rest of the country. For a number of reasons, you should choose to play at legal Delaware online casinos whenever possible.

For starters, there is the matter of your personal security. Playing at offshore sites puts you at risk of being exposed to unfair casino games with flawed RNGs or even straight up getting defrauded for your money by an entity that has no legal responsibilities within the US. If your money is stolen or not paid by an offshore casino, you will have no real recourse, legal or otherwise.

Playing at legal casinos, on the other hand, means you get the full protection of the law. The sites are obligated to prove to the Delaware Lottery that they are operating fairly and all their business practices must be 100% transparent. What’s more, all player funds deposited with legal Delaware casinos must be kept safely segregated and ready for payouts at all times.

Legal online casinos in Delaware also pay a 62.5% tax to the state, and this tax is used to fund a number of highly useful project that benefit all the residents of Delaware. Offshore sites, on the other hand, pay very low taxes to various small island countries, and all the money that players lose basically gets syphoned out of the local economy, harming you and your friends and family in the long run.

How to Know if a Delaware Online Gambling Site is Legal, Regulated, and Safe?

If you are looking to play with legal and safe online gambling operators in Delaware, here are the things you should consider:

  • Regulated Sites: Only three racinos in the state have the proper license from the Delaware Lottery to organize online gambling. You will see the Lottery seal in the operator’s footer when you go to play and you can also check directly with the lottery if an operator has the necessary license.
  • Land-Based Partners: The only way to throw legal online gambling in Delaware is to also run a live gambling operation. Only three live operators have the necessary credentials to do so.
  • Jurisdiction: Legal sports betting sites in the US only allow players to play in states where they are licensed. In order to play at Delaware’s legal online betting sites, you will need to be physically present within the state. Offshore sites, on the other hand, may allow you to gamble from anywhere, but you are doing so at your own risk.
  • A Name You Know: As we already explained, only the three Delaware-based racinos have the proper licenses to run online gambling in this state. If you go ahead to gamble online in Delaware, you will surely recognize the names of the operators who offer such a service, as these are the live casinos you have probably been to or associated with in some way in your life.
  • Transparent Operations: Legal online gambling sites deal transparently and openly with their clients. Unlike offshore sites that often try to get you to play under dubious terms, the legal Delaware casinos and poker sites are 100% transparent and available for a conversation about any concerns you may be having.
  • Customer Support: A proper online gambling operator is always available to its clients for consultations and help about any issues that may occur. If you are playing at a legal Delaware site, you should expect to be able to contact them via telephone, email, and likely live chat as well. Lack of communication usually means lack of respect and seriousness from the operator as well.

Important Information When Choosing an Online Gambling Site in Delaware

For a Delaware online gaming site to be considered high-quality, we recommend looking at sites that provide the best user experience while also offering a high degree of value for the money you deposit. You should make sure that you are getting the right bang for your buck in terms of returns, while also being able to play your own way and on the devices of your choosing.
Delaware Online Gambling Welcome Bonuses

Welcome bonuses are a big part of the overall online gambling experience, and it’s no different for Delaware online gaming sites. When joining a new operator, you should expect to receive a generous welcome bonus on your first deposit to get you started.

Since online sports betting is not really available in Delaware yet, we will focus on online casinos. Proper welcome bonuses in Delaware online casinos will at least double your deposit and not impose high wagering requirements on you. When you can find such a bonus, the value of this offer should be enough to start playing with the operator in question.

Casino Promotions in Delaware

Aside from their welcome bonuses, Delaware online casinos also offer a number of promotions such as free spins, leaderboards, and other similar perks. You should look to make the best of these promos and take all the value you can get to improve your overall returns.

Online casino promotions are a big part of how you can gain an advantage over the casinos, so don’t be lazy and skip over valuable promotional offers. Instead, make sure you grab every promo you can and boost your bankroll with these freebies often.

Delaware Customer Loyalty Rewards

Top online casinos in Delaware know how to value their most loyalty customers and they offer valuable VIP programs and player rewards for those who come back and play often. You should make sure to play with the gaming sites that offer the best in terms of player rewards, especially if you are playing for higher stakes.

A solid VIP/loyalty scheme will give you a ton of additional value regardless of the types of casino games you play. If you know how to make the best of the loyalty program and all the promotional offers, you can significantly reduce the overall edge the casino has over you, giving yourself a better shot at beating the casino long-term.

Delaware Mobile Gambling

There are currently three online gambling operators in the state, and each of them operates one online casino and poker platform. These platforms are fully available to mobile users through dedicated mobile apps for iOS and Android users, which makes them perfect to play on the go.

Being able to play on your phone is a great perk, and Delaware players don’t have to worry about being short-changed in this regard. The mobile apps provide full access to all the games, a variety of options, the cashier section, and plenty of other areas of the site that make your life a lot easier.

Game Selection and Navigation

The game selection at Delaware online casinos is quite satisfying, with a great number of casino games, slots, and more on offer. You can play the kind of game you prefer at any time of day or night, whether you are looking to play slot games, table games, or other types of gambling games.

In terms of navigation and usability, the Delaware online casinos use modern iGaming platforms to power their operations, which makes them as good as any you will find out there. These platforms allow easy access to all areas of the site and give you the tools you need to make online gambling a fun and enjoyable experience.

Delaware Gaming Regulator Information

All online gambling in Delaware is regulated by the Delaware State Lottery Office. With the State Lottery in charge of issuing licenses and maintaining the high standards for online gambling sites in the state, you can feel extremely safe to play at sites which do carry such a license.

The main motivation behind the licensing process is to ensure that players are being treated fairly and are given all the necessary tools to engage only in safe and responsible gambling. The Lottery ensures that all sites adhere to the laws and implement all the necessary measures against problem gambling that are being used nationwide, such as self-exclusion, deposit limits, etc.

When it comes to safety, online gambling sites licensed by the State Lottery are guaranteed not to share your personal information with third parties, and are forced to use high-end security measures, firewalls, and SSL certificates to ensure all transactions, both monetary and information-related, are completely safe and nearly unhackable.

Players can contact the Lottery directly in case they have a problem with any of the sites licensed by the body. You can write to the State Lottery via the following form:

https://www.delottery.com/Contact-Us

Or even visit their offices at 1575 McKee Road, Suite 102 Dover, DE 19904 to file a complaint in person or contact the Lottery at 302-739-5291.

History of Delaware Online Gambling Legislation

When it comes to online gambling legislation in the US, Delaware was the first to actually allow for legal gambling sites in the state, with the first law of this kind coming into power in 2012. The Delaware Gaming Competitiveness Act was a complete game changer for the industry in the US and it paved way for future legislation in other states.

Despite being highly criticized for doing so, the state issued the first licenses for its three Racinos almost immediately after the law was passed, and in 2013 they launched the first online casinos, featuring slot games, table games, and more.

In 2017, Delaware became the 14th state to legalize Daily Fantasy Sports as well. While they were not the first ones to do so this time, this was probably due to the lack of general interest in DFC compared to casino games.

In 2018, right after the Supreme Court repealed PASPA, Delaware made sports betting, both retail and online, legal within its borders. This means that today, Delaware is one of the few states that offer practically all forms of legal gambling, and the state was at the forefront of the battle for legal online gambling every step of the way, along with the likes of New Jersey and Nevada.

Responsible Gambling Resources in Delaware

A big part of the Delaware Lottery’s role as gaming regulator in the state is to make sure that all the licensees are adhering to the responsible gambling policies that are in place. All gambling sites are under obligation to allow their users to use the following measures to restrict of limit their play:

  • Self-Exclusion: A self-excluded player is not allowed to gamble at legal Delaware gambling sites for the time they requested, or for life.
  • Deposit Limits: Players can set limits on deposits they can make over a certain period of time, making sure they don’t gamble more than they can afford.
  • Bet Limits: You can ask the operators to set a bet limit for you, ensuring you don’t go overboard and bet more than you were planning to.

The Delaware Lottery is dedicated to making sure that responsible gambling practices are adhered to. With that in mind, the Lottery uses a portion of its proceeds to fund responsible gambling promotions and programs, while also contributing funds to fight against problem gambling.

If you find that you have problems controlling your gambling, you can contact the Lottery via the following helpline:

  • 1-888-850-8888 – Delaware Council on Gambling Problems Helpline

Other useful links that you may want to visit include:

Gambler’s Anonymous
International Service Office: 1-626-960-3500
www.gamblersanonymous.org

Gam-Anon
International Service Office
1-718-352-1671
www.gam-anon.org

National Council on Problem Gambling
1-800-522-4700
www.ncpgambling.org

Land Based Gambling Available in Delaware

  • Bally’s Dover: 1131 North DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901
  • Harrington Raceway & Casino: 18500 S Dupont Hwy, Harrington, DE 19952
  • Delaware Park Racetrack: 777 Delaware Park Blvd, Wilmington, DE 19804

FAQ

Is online gambling legal in Delaware?

Yes! Online gambling is legal in the state of Delaware. In fact, Delaware was the first state to offer legal online gambling of all the states, with the first act passed back in 2012.

What types of online gambling are legal in Delaware?

Nearly all types of online gambling are legal in Delaware. Online casinos, poker sites, sports betting sites, and daily fantasy sports are all legal. However, there are no online sports betting operators in the state as of yet.

Can I use my Delaware online gaming accounts in other states?

No! You can always access your Delaware online gaming accounts, but you will not be able to play games for real money on them while you are outside of Delaware.

I’m traveling to Delaware. Can I set up my account before I arrive?

Yes! You can set up your accounts anytime you wish from the comfort of your home. Once you are within Delaware, you will be able to make deposits and play for real money on your accounts, saving you time and stress of having to create the accounts on the spot.

Can I play at Delaware online gambling sites if I am just visiting the state?

Yes! Visitors to Delaware are welcome to play at the state’s regulated online gambling sites. You will need to register an account with your real information, including your actual residence address, and your partial social security number.

What is the minimum age to gamble online in Delaware?

Like the rest of the country, Delaware only allows participation in gambling games, both live and online, to players over the legal age of 21.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call the Virginia Council on Problem Gambling (VACPG) helpline at 1-888-532-3500

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