Delaware
Gambling Laws 2026

Sports betting is legal in Delaware, one of 36 states where it is, as of May 2026. Commercial casinos are legal, as they are in 24 states, and online casino gambling is legal, one of 9 states that allow it. Delaware has a state lottery, and horse racing is legal.

Delaware was the first state to offer legal single-game sports betting after the Supreme Court struck down PASPA in May 2018. The state moved within days of the ruling, launching at its three casinos before the end of June 2018. That speed reflected an advantage Delaware had built deliberately: it had passed sports lottery legislation in 2009 and operated parlay betting for NFL games under a PASPA exception for years. When the federal ban fell, Delaware was ready.

The state operates three commercial casinos, all racinos: Dover Downs, Delaware Park, and Harrington Raceway and Casino. These are state-run through the Delaware Lottery rather than privately owned in the traditional sense. Online casino gambling is also legal, having launched in 2013, making Delaware one of the earliest regulated online gambling markets in the country. The lottery offers a range of draw games and scratch tickets.

For residents, Delaware is a permissive gambling state given its small size. You are never far from a casino. Mobile sports betting is available through the casinos' apps. Online casino games are legal for in-state players. The market is smaller and less competitive than New Jersey's, which is just across the bridge for most Delaware residents, but the legal framework is solid and the options are real.

First state to offer legal single-game sports betting (2018). Online casino gambling legal.

Finding nearby venues...

Similar States

More on Delaware

Also on Delaware: the full Delaware profile covers taxes, cost of living, crime and schools, and the county map lets you compare every county in the state. For related rules, read the Delaware sex laws guide and the Delaware country music guide.