Delaware Online Casino Games Legislation Goes to Senate

HB 3333, the bill that will allow the state of Delaware to operate an online lottery, table games and additional sports betting sites, passed in the state House and is now on the way to the Senate. The bill is sponsored by Governor Jack Marshall. The bill is deemed the Delaware Gaming Competitiveness Act of 2012 and it received a favorable 29-8 vote. Many agreed that they are voting for online casino games legislation because of the state of the economy and the hope that top rated online casinos will drive business.

CEO of Dover Downs Hotel & Casino, Ed Sutor commented after the vote, “What this bill does do is it has the potential to preserve jobs that are currently there.” “The industry is taking a lick. I would say this is not a jobs generator; this is a jobs preserver.”

Republican Representative Lincoln Willis, who voted in favor of the bill also commented, “I have a lot of folks in my district that work at Dover Downs. The reason for my vote is that we’ve got to protect those jobs that we have. Yes, there are way too many moving parts in this bill, and we could have done it cleaner, but it’s necessary.”

If the bill makes its way through the Senate, Delaware’s three casinos would have the legal right to provide online casino games on their sites, including blackjack, online slot machines and poker. Additionally, bars and restaurants throughout the state would be able to provide players with favorite games like Keno, instant lottery games as well as sell pro-football parlay cards. Currently these are only available to players in the casinos. Delaware’s casinos.

Should online casino game legislation be passed in the state, it is estimated that revenue will exceed $7.75 million.