Delaware Continues With Single Sports Betting OperatorLegislators Sought Opening Market |
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After Delaware legislators hinted at opening up the state’s online sports betting market in recent months, that now appears to be on the back burner, at least for this year.
The state legislature wrapped up this year’s session last week without taking up the issue. Since legalizing online casino gaming in 2013, the state has gone with a single-operator approach, which expanded to sports betting as well in December.
Some legislators believed that should change to a more competitive market, which has proven successful in other states.
“From our review and our perspective, we think that having more is better for lotteries, because it creates more competition, it ensures that everyone has a good platform and it allows more options for the public to choose what they want to do,” state Rep. William Bush (D) told Delaware Public Media of the bill.
Plans Dropped For 2024
Rush Street Interactive’s BetRivers platform is now the state’s official sports betting and online gaming operator through a contract with the state lottery. Bush introduced a bill in April to add competitors.
The bill would see new sports betting operators pay a $500,000 licensing fee, which would last five years, and set a tax rate of 18% with an additional 1.5% of revenue used to fund the state’s horse racing industry. The state’s casinos would be allowed to partner with operators and the bill was backed by MGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel.
The effort initially received some pushback from lottery officials arguing that opening up the market could result in the BetRivers contract being canceled. Lottery director Helene Keeley said she believed a single-operator structure was the best approach for a state with a low population like Delaware.
Other states have also taken this approach, including Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Rhode Island. Florida also has a monopoly operator after the state reached a gaming compact with the Seminoles allowing the tribe to solely offer statewide sports betting.
Rush Street took over the state online gaming contract in Delaware this year after 888 Holdings was the state’s sole operator for a decade. That company has since left the US market completely.
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