Delaware Online Casino Guide

Learn About Legal Online Casinos & Gambling in the State of Delaware

Fred Stafford  Updated: June 18, 2022

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Here you can learn about gambling online and offline in Delaware, starting with a brief history of gambling in the country's First State. You can also find a section that covers the latest online gambling laws in Delaware, the benefits of gambling in the state, a useful FAQ section and highlights, and even a section that covers problem gambling help in the Diamond State. Today it’s legal to gamble in Delaware, but you need to be 18+ to bet on the horses or play the lottery, and at least 21 to gamble at an online casino or land-based casino.

Listing of Top Legal Delaware Online Casinos

Below is a listing of all available online casinos within the State of Delaware where you can play legally if you are playing from within the State.

Gambling History in the US State of Delaware

The state of Delaware (DE) has a long history of gambling, going as far back as colonial times. The first race-track established way back in 1760, almost three decades before Delaware became the first US state. Gambling on the horses wasn’t actually legal in Delaware for a couple more centuries though, and although during these puritanical times gambling remained extremely popular, placing a bet on the horses was always done in the shadows. It was until 1933 that a commission was eventually set up to oversee and license betting on horse racing.

The aim was to legalize gambling activities so that the state could generate revenues in tough economic times. Don’t forget that it was at this same time that the US was experiencing the great depression. The new relaxed attitude towards gambling led to the first licenses being issued in 1935, and it also led to the construction of new race tracks such as Delaware Park, which opened in 1937. The bingo commission formed in 1957 and the Delaware Gaming Control Board that oversees all forms of gambling in the state was formed in 1986 (which later changed to the ‘Division of Business and Professional Regulation). In 1991, Delaware became one of just 4 states excluded from the Federal ban on sports betting.

The next major change occurred in 1996 when the first video lottery machines arrived, and then live poker, sports betting, and casino table games would eventually become legal in Delaware in 2009. Also, in the same year, this exclusion from the Federal ban was limited by the major sport-league bill to betting on NFL parlays.

The newly state-licensed gambling activities would all become regulated and under the control of Division of Business and Professional Regulation. Delaware became the first state to legalize online gambling in 2012, and the new legislation allowed Delaware residents to play at state-licensed gambling websites without fear of being prosecuted. The new gambling sites that were state-licensed were controlled by the operators of the three main race tracks in Delaware - Dover Downs, Harrington Raceway, and Delaware Park. Delaware citizens could also still freely gambling at hundreds of offshore regulated online casinos, which fall outside of jurisdiction.

Today in Delaware, pretty much all of the main forms of gambling are legally permitted, and this means that you can play at land-based casinos and online casinos. You can also take part in the lottery, you can place sports bets on hundreds of sporting events, and you can play live poker and online poker, and this freedom to gamble means that today, the state is recognized as being one of the more laid-back US states with regards to its attitude towards gambling.

Delaware USA Gambling & Online Gambling Laws

Online gambling is currently legal in Delaware, and it’s one of just a handful of states that allows certain forms of widely-accepted gambling activities (the others being Nevada, New Jersey, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania). As mentioned above, the legal age to wager on horse racing or the lottery is 18+, and to place a sports bet or play at land-based or online casinos it’s 21+. The gambling industry in Delaware has a solid legal framework in place, and it is one of the most advanced and well-regulated legal gambling systems in the US. Things have rapidly evolved since online gambling became legal in the Diamond State in 2009.

There are no current laws that prevent citizens of Delaware from gambling in the real money at gambling sites that operate from outside of US borders. The operators of these offshore regulated online casinos (and other similar gambling sites) cannot be prosecuted for aiming their business towards citizens of the state, which means that you don’t have to worry about the authorities knocking at your door to arrest you. However, if the operator of one of these gambling sites were ever to step foot in the US, he or she is likely to be arrested by state or federal authorities.

Today, you can legally gamble in the real money mode on hundreds of games such as online slot machines, table & card games, video poker games, lotto-style games, and other games, at state-licensed online casinos and offshore regulated online casinos. People in Delaware can also place sports bets, gamble on the horses, and play bingo, and it’s all under the watchful eye of the Delaware Department of Gaming Enforcement.

It’s also possible for people from other states to visit the state of Delaware to participate in the same gambling activities, but before anyone can start gambling in the real money mode, you would need to register an account at your chosen online casino. The simple online casino application form takes just a couple of minutes to fill out. As soon as you are registered, make your first deposit so you can start playing on any of the games that are available. Unfortunately, you wouldn’t be able to gamble at the site you’ve registered to when you return to your home state.

The casino operators use geo-location software that recognizes your IP address, which means that the system will know if you are trying to access the casino from outside of Delaware. If you try and fool the system by using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to disguise your IP address and make it appear as though you are still in Delaware, you will be asked to switch off your VPN. Your account could be temporarily frozen, or worse, closed indefinitely because VPN detectors are used by the operators to prevent interstate gambling (a direct abuse of the Wire Act law of 1961).

Online Casino Benefits to Players from the US State of Delaware

Here are some of the main benefits of playing at legal Delaware casinos. One of the main benefits is that you have more freedom to gamble compared to almost any other state in the US. Delaware citizens who are feeling lucky and fancy the odd flutter everyone now and then can enjoy placing a wager at a growing number of home-grown, legal land-based venues, and legal online gambling sites. You can benefit from some great odds at sports betting websites with hundreds of markets to bet on per event, and you can bet on most major sporting events in the world, all from the comfort of your home state.

You don’t have to travel to a state where online gambling is legal, because it’s all legal in Delaware. You also don’t have to go to Las Vegas or Atlantic City, because Delaware has several fantastic land-based casinos and racetracks. All of these gambling venues are regulated by one of the most trusted licensing authorities in the US, and they are controlled by some of the most trusted names from the online and offline gambling industry. In other words, you can benefit from the highest levels of security, all from within a safe environment.

If you’re playing at an online casino that’s licensed in Delaware, or at an offshore regulated online casino, you can look forward to a guaranteed new player welcome bonus when you sign up for the very first time, plus you can take advantage of some attractive loyalty comp point schemes and VIP programs, and there are plenty of promotional offers that you can take part in to win some amazing prizes such as luxury getaways, some of the latest electrical gadgets, cash prizes, and more. That’s not all though. You can benefit from being able to choose from a wide range of popular online payment options that enable you to make rapid deposits and withdrawals with ease.

Some of the other notable benefits for gambling at Delaware casinos are things such as having access to 24-hour, toll-free telephone support, as well as live chat and email support, and you will have access to hundreds of popular games from some of the most advanced, industry-award-winning online casino software providers in the world. You can also benefit from being able to choose between playing at these cutting-edge online casinos either on desktop or mobile, and no download is required to play at any of these websites. The games generally just seconds to launch in most web browsers, and they can be enjoyed either in the real money mode or free play demo mode (apart from the live dealer casino games, which can generally only be experienced in the real money mode).

FAQ Useful to Players from the US State of Delaware

Online Gambling Highlights in the US State of Delaware

• Residents in Delaware today have access to some of the best online gambling websites in the world, all of which are powered by various leading online casino software providers, and most Delaware online casinos today are powered by multiple software providers
• You can enjoy playing on hundreds, if not thousands, of games, including live dealer games, table games, card games, online slots, video poker games, lotto-style games, and more
• Today’s best Delaware online casinos have numerous life-changing progressive jackpots to play for daily, and many of these big jackpots can be won from as little as $0.20 to $0.50 per spin
• You can choose between playing on a wide range of games either on desktop or mobile, and download is usually no required. The games take just seconds to launch in most web browsers
• Take advantage of some kind of generous new player welcome bonus when you sign up to a Delaware casino, and then look forward to some amazing perks and benefits thanks to the rewarding VIP and loyalty programs. The main types of new player welcome bonuses that you can look forward to include things such as a no deposit bonus (could be a free $5, $10, $20 or $25 cash bonus), a matching deposit bonus (usually a 50%, 100% or 200% match bonus) or a free spins bonus (anywhere from 10 to 200 free spins to try out a selection of popular online slots). You can earn redeemable loyalty points as you play in the real money mode, and your points can eventually be exchanged for cold hard cash and other rewards
• Professionally trained player support usually available 24 hours per day and is only ever a click or call away. The main types of support methods that you can count on are telephone, email and live chat
• The best Delaware casinos today are controlled by reputable operators with proven track records, and they are protected by the latest SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption technology (the same technology that online banks and most other financial institutions use to protect their customer’s funds and personal details
• Plenty of secure online payment options to choose from that allow for fast, secure, and easy deposits and withdrawals
• In addition to online casinos, Delaware players can also gamble at sports betting websites and can enjoy several other popular legal gambling activities such as horse racing, poker (live and online) and bingo

Problem Gambling Help in the US State of Delaware

One of the most notable problem gambling institutions in Delaware that you can turn to is the Delaware Council on Gambling Problems Inc. Their main website is deproblemgambling.org. You can also call them 24 hours per day, toll-free, on 888-850-888, or text them Mon to Friday from 9-5 on 302-438-8888. Problem gambling destroys lives, and the DCGP does many things to combat problem gambling, such as teaching you about self-exclusion from gambling sites and by offering free online and offline guidance and support.

Whether it’s you, a friend, family member or colleague, or just someone that you care about who you think may have developed a gambling problem, non-profit organizations such as the DCPG can always be turned to for help. You can also find several other useful tools on their websites such as problem gambling fact sheets, questionnaires, problem gambling articles, forums, and more (e.g. Advocacy, Treatment, Training Professionals, Intervention & Outreach, Public Awareness & Information, and Prevention Programs). You will be treated with compassion and understanding by professional counselors who have been trained to deal with the issues relating to problem gambling.

The National Problem Gambling Helpline can be reached on 1-800-522-4700, or you can text them on the same number, or access the live chat support agents at ncpcgambling.org/chat. There’s also Gam-Anon (www.gam-anon.org), which is a self-help organization for the spouse, family, or close friends of compulsive gamblers and GamTalk (a 24/7 moderated online peer support forum). One of the other notable organizations is Gamblers Anonymous, which arranges group meetings from like-minded problem gamblers to share their stories and offer support to each other. You can also find plenty of other land-based problem gambling and rehabilitation centers dotted around the state, and they all offer similar services.

It’s also possible for citizens in Delaware to reach out to the wider international community. For example, in the United Kingdom, you can find a couple of other similar non-profit organizations that provide free guidance and support. The two most notable organizations are GambleAware and GamCare. If you think that you or anyone that you care about has a gambling problem, then I suggest trying to get in touch with one of these reputable organizations before things spiral out of control even further.