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The state of Delaware is interesting when you look at it from afar. Really interesting, we’d argue.
By land size, it’s the second smallest in the United States. At 96 miles long and a range between 9 and 35 miles wide, only Rhode Island is tinier.
Its population is also on the lower end with a million people or so. Only Wyoming, Vermont, Alaska, and North Dakota have less people.
Yet, Delaware has become a hub of sorts. It has really favorable tax policies— especially compared to its East Coast counterparts — so you see why so many corporations set up shop there.
But perhaps most attractive is just how central it is to other massive markets. Here is how near some metropolitan areas are to Delaware’s border:
- 34 miles to Philadelphia
- 58 miles to Baltimore
- 90 miles to Washington DC
- 100 miles to Newark
- 115 miles to New York City
- 189 miles to Virginia Beach
Not only is this perfect for business, but it’s perfect for betting on sports. You see, sports betting in Delaware isn’t the best experience. It is legal, it’s just not easily accessible. For that reason, Delawareans might be better off just gambling at neighboring states.
This has long been a way of doing business for folks around the country. Before sports betting in New York was a thing, locals beefed up New Jersey’s betting market to be on par with Nevada. Speaking of Nevada, they still, to this day, receive a bump in betting from Californians, who remain barred from sports gambling in their state.
So why not for Delawareans? The way things have gone in their state going, we see no better recourse.
Why Delaware Sports Betting Is So Behind
Did you know Delaware was the first state to legalize sports betting after the Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA)?
But… did you also know sports betting didn’t actually go live in the state until December 2023 — more than five years after it was legalized?
This is the Delaware dichotomy that’s fascinating to observe from afar. The state has let sports betting fall by the wayside — somewhat due to bad policy, but also due to a complete lack of care. It’s both these reasons why locals are best gambling in other states instead of their own.
The root of the problems can be traced to the Delaware State Lottery Office striking a deal with 888 (owned by William Hill, which is now owned by Caesars). Not just any deal, but an exclusive deal to run its sports betting operation. Why Delaware would choose a little-known (and foreign) bookmaker rather than established names like BetMGM or DraftKings is puzzling — again, just bad policy.
Welp, 888 was so incompetent that it never actually launched the sports betting product it paid to have. Really. We’re dead serious here. Eventually, 888 ceased operating in the United States and ended its agreement with the state. Enter Rush Street Interactive, which took over the monopoly agreement. RSI’s betting app is BetRivers, which is ok, but still far behind in market AND mindshare from operators like Caesars or FanDuel.
Still, at least BetRivers has an app to take in bets, unlike 888. They went live in-state at the end of 2023, and still work today. But it’s not the best playing experience. Compared to the other big-name betting apps, BetRivers is noticeably worse. Bad enough that Delawareans living near the border can just opt to wager at neighboring states.
Delaware Sticking To Their Guns
Remember when we said the state just didn’t care enough about this? Well, here’s the proof: this last legislative year, Delaware politicians pushed a bill, HB 365, that would allow for up to six more sports betting “skins” — apps essentially. Theis would’ve ended the BetRivers monopoly and given bettors more choices to gamble.
However, the bill ended up going nowhere — and we mean nowhere. When the legislative session ended on June 30 so did this bill and any hope of a free market in Delaware betting. We aren’t in these meeting rooms, but we can read meeting minutes and reports. More than anything, it just seemed no one in the state with influence cared enough to push this along.
For what it’s worth, the Delaware Lottery wants to keep things as it currently is. Lottery Director Helene Keeley pointed out that the state’s single operator at one million residents is the same per capita ratio as Pennsylvania’s 13 operators and 13 million residents. Fair point, but c’mon! Don’t we believe in free markets in this country? Delaware should know given the businesses that flock there because they offer friendlier taxes than nearby states — thus a better option to set up shop. Options are good, lady. That’s all we’re trying to get across here but we digress.
All this is to say, if you’re in Delaware, just visit a neighbor OR better yet, hit an offshore online sportsbook to do all your betting. Both these options are better than being forced to use BetRivers and we’ll die on that hill.
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
