New Jersey may have been the favourite to become the first state to offer legal sports betting in the US, but it was pipped to the post on Tuesday this week by Delaware. Just three weeks after the dropping of PASPA, the state will allow sports wagering on a legal footing outside of Nevada for the first time in circa 70 years.
The historic development was set to be marked with a special launch at Dover Downs, the hotel, casino and racetrack complex in Dover, Delaware, with governor John Carney alongside other state officials present to officially give the green light for sports betting at the state’s three casinos.
Essentially, punters attending Dover Downs, Delaware Park and Harrington Raceway will now be able to allow single game and championship wagers on professional football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, auto racing and golf. The existing, outdated parlay bets in operation there are soon to become a thing of the past.
With Delaware up and running, New Jersey has been quick to respond. Committees in the state Senate and Assembly on Monday advanced a bill that would legalise sports betting in the state. Should all go to plan, the Bill is on course for final approval, enabling Monmouth Park to take bets by as early as Friday this week.
In other Delaware developments, Scientific Games has agreed to implement the state’s lottery’s expansion to full-scale sports betting. It will provide the Delaware Lottery with various sports wagering technology, content and managed services. “In anticipation of the Supreme Court’s ruling on PASPA, we have been working with Scientific Games, our long-time sports betting provider, as well as training our lottery and casino staff, so that we were ready to launch full-scale, head-to-head betting on single games,” Delaware Lottery director Vernon Kirk said.