Delaware Gambling
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Not only is online gambling fully legal , but Delaware officially became the first U.S. state to legally recognize gaming over the internet. Even though the official bill was passed in 2012, most people consider one special privilege the true beginning of Delaware’s relationship with online gambling.
Along with three other states, Delaware was exempt from the federal ban on sports betting, which allowed it to nurture a bustling gambling culture. The only bets that were available were tri-team NFL parlays. In 2012, everything changed when online casinos were officially legalized.
However, there was a catch involved. You see, the Delaware state House elaborated that only land-based casinos can offer online services. This is the case currently, with all three of their casinos have online platforms.
Another part of that infamous bill from 2012 was that the state had the right to pick a single operator to oversee the minuscule region’s iGaming industry. The current provider is none other than 888Holdings. DFS, sports betting, social games, online lotteries, horse racing - all of these forms of gaming are legal and regulated by the Delaware Lottery.
The US’ oldest state was the first to legalize both online poker and casino games. Delaware legalized online gambling in 2012; legislation was passed that allowed full-service betting websites which would offer slots and games like roulette, poker and blackjack. Real money users must be located within state borders and all the sites must partner with a land-based casino in the state.
Not only did Delaware allow online poker and casino, but it also signed a special agreement with Nevada in 2014. The intra-state liquidity sharing deal called Multi-State Internet Wager Agreement permits players from both states to play on each other’s licensed poker sites. Only weeks after Delaware officials struck a deal with Nevada, Congress supported a ban in online gambling. However, combining player pools helps the industry, and the gambling revenue contributes to the Delaware economy. At least, that is the general idea. Delaware did report a decline in revenue in 2017 (18% less than in 2016). An online gaming market has been established, but maintaining it seems to be the real challenge.
Delaware may be a small state and an unassuming part of the USA, but the First State is at the forefront of gambling law in the Union. In 1787, Delaware became the first state to ratify the Constitution of the United States, earning the nickname The First State. Even before this important historical event, there was gambling in the Delaware territory.
The first racing facility was built in the Town of Newark in 1760, during the colonial era. In those early years, people enjoyed lottery betting, as well. Gambling activities were forced underground during the18th and 19th centuries due to Puritan society. It wasn’t until the 1930’s that the opponents of betting were subdued by the need for revenue.
In 1933, a commission was established to oversee and license horse race betting. The legalization of horse racing/wagering led to the development of racetracks in Delaware. As for casino gaming, it had a bit of a late start. Bingo games were allowed in 1957, under strict guidelines. In 2009, sports betting was legalized and allowed in casinos (only on multiple games like on parlay cards, not on single games). All the casino complexes in Delaware are linked to the racetracks, offering poker, slots and popular table games.
Delaware residents can gamble if they are at least 18 years old on horse races and enjoy slots once they reach the age of 21. The entire state occupies less than 2,500 square miles and houses less than one million residents, so one can’t expect dozens of gaming venues upon such space. There are 3 casinos in total, joined with the racetrack facilities. So, technically, all three casinos in the First State are racinos.
All slot machines in Delaware are referred to as video lottery terminals; their activities are overseen by the Delaware Lottery. VLTs are required by law to offer a payout percentage between 87 and 95 percent. Other than slots, Delaware casinos offer blackjack, roulette, craps, and video poker. Visitors can also take pleasure in mini-baccarat, Pai Gow poker, Caribbean Stud, Big 6, bingo, keno, Mississippi Stud and Spanish 21, among other options.
Delaware Park, Harrington’s Raceway and Dover Downs are the three Delaware casino establishments, running 24/7, not including Easter and Christmas. Dover Downs is the largest casino; it is located in Dover and houses over 2,300 slot machines. Delaware Park is in Stanton, and features over 2,200 video gaming machines. Harrington Raceway in Harrington offers more than 1,700 slots.
Neighbouring States: Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania
Unlike most states who don’t have a an age limit for casino games, Delaware clearly defined age-related restrictions for online gaming. Only people with a valid government-issued ID and older than 21 one can partake in both online and land-based gaming activities.
Keep in mind that sites have the right to request proof of your age at any time, as well as to ban you if you’re unable to comply. Don’t worry, this rarely happens in such random fashion.
Ever since online gambling has been legalized, it became much easier to play all the best games. Initially, sites only offered some basic slots and a few variants of each table game.
With time, and as revenue slowly rose up, online casinos became much more eager to offer the latest games and even some experimental iterations.
Slots are also plentiful, with Chumba Casino having perhaps one of the best slot offers on the East Coast. You’ll also find many types of blackjack and roulette, resulting in a constant stream of diverse content being at your disposal.
Even though the three available Delaware-based casinos don’t offer live gaming options, you can partake in this activity at alternative sites.
You see, even though the state effectively holds a monopoly over online gambling, sites from out of state gladly let Delaware players slip through the cracks and play all the available games. This includes live dealer titles, many of which are highly sought-after in the entire country.
Monopoly Live, Deal or No Deal, Quantum Roulette, and other titles are all available to play if you’re in Delaware. Whether it’s classic blackjack you want or an RNG-based hybrid, you’re in luck. Despite being home to only 1 million people, Delaware is a mini gambling Mecca.
Just like all other states that have legalized online gambling, Delaware has given online casinos free rein when it comes to picking which payment options they’ll offer. In most cases, you’ll encounter credit and debit cards as the foremost or only option. Everyone uses a card, so it makes sense to offer something so easily accessible.
Bank transfers and eChecks have been popular in the early 2010s, but have recently fallen out of favor with casino players. Many Delaware casino sites offer eWallets as their primary options, mainly PayPal. Not only is the brand a synonym for security, but it also makes online gaming much easier and more pleasant. Neteller and Skrill are two cool alternatives.
Cryptocurrencies have also seen a rise in popularity, mainly with those conscious about security. Ripple, Bitcoin, Dogecoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin are just five of the best-known blockchain-based currencies.
Your choice of payment methods directly determines how long you’ll have to way to see your money. Traditional options such as cards and bank transfers can take up to 3-4 days to appear in your account. The bank has to check every transaction specifically, so it takes a bit more time than with more modern options.
PayPal, for instance, offers instant payments, or in the worst-case scenario - 24 hours. Other eWallets follow suit, with small variations here and there.
If you’re gunning for speed exclusively, then cryptos are the right choice for you. The time between giving your address and seeing that sweet BTC payment is usually no longer 30 minutes.
While online casinos aren’t required to demand documents from players, some sites do request images of both sides of your ID when creating an account. There has been no proof that this approach increases security levels at online casinos, but everyone keeps using it and hoping for the best.
Yes, all Delaware casino sites are regulated and observed by the Delaware Lottery, the state’s foremost gaming regulatory body. Because of their presence, no sites are able to even think of scamming players without suffering the consequences.
If your payment is withheld without a legitimate reason, you can file a complaint with the site’s customer service, post a report on AskGamblers.com or TrustPilot.com. If all that doesn’t work, then Delaware Lottery will take swift action to resolve the dispute, if legally possible.
Generally, yes. All three sites based in Delaware have teams manned by skilled agents that stop at nothing to assist players on a daily basis. They are polite and knowledgeable, which is everything one could ask from LiveChat or phoneline operators.
As for out-of-state sites that are available, it depends on what site you’ve chosen. Always read reviews before depositing a single penny, just to play it safe for a little while.
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