Sports betting in Delaware still on shaky ground

The sports betting lottery in Delaware is scheduled to being in September, but as expected, it's meeting heavy opposition. The sports leagues such as NCAA and the pros are fighting Delaware's sports betting plan tooth and nail. The NCAA and professional leagues have already requested from a Delaware judge to stop the start of the sports betting lottery until all disputes are settled, including if sports betting in the state would violate federal law.

Delaware was one of the four states exempt from the sports betting ban passed in 1992, but lawyers for the sports leagues are arguing that the state cannot offer anything more than the sports betting lottery which was running in Delaware at the time the state was exempt from the federal ban on sports gambling. The new sports betting plan in Delaware would allow betting on single games, as well as on sports other than football. The previous lottery only allowed parlay-style betting on more than 3 NFL games.

Meanwhile lawyers for the states are arguing that the federal law allows the state to operate any sports lottery under state control, including the newly introduces sports betting form. If no new developments in this case occur, sports betting in Delaware will be a fact in September. Revenues from sports betting in the state coffers are expected to reach millions. Thus it's hardly a surprise that other states are also looking into sports betting as a way to get some much needed money flow. Massachusetts Republican gubernatorial candidate Christy Mihos was recently quoted by the Herald that sports betting in the state could bring as much as a billion yearly, money the state of Massachusetts could certainly use. Of course Mihos must be elected first and then the battle would have just started. It too Delaware sports betting supporters a long time to convince lawmakers to allow back sports betting in the state.

Published on 08/04/2009