Delaware goes by the moniker of the first state, referencing its role as the first of the 13 original states to ratify the Constitution. Carrying that moniker into the 21st century, Delaware became the first to pass legislation to legalize retail sports wagering after the U.S. Supreme Court lifted the ban in 2018.
Retail betting has turned into gold for the state, producing $62.6 million in tax revenue. But as most people know, mobile betting accounts for 90 to 95 percent of the overall revenue in states not named Delaware. That glaring oversight reared its head during the pandemic as other states turned to mobile betting to fill in the decline in retail activity, Yogonet Gaming News said.
Faced with such discrepancies, the Delaware House created a task force to study the issue, paying close attention to Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The report lasered in on the economic importance among mobile operators…
Oh…did we tell you that Delaware does have mobile sports betting? The state signed an exclusive online deal with Rush Street Interactive. That little impediment would have to be addressed to move forward, particularly with the money at stake.
A study by Eilers & Krejcik predicts that Delaware could produce an additional $30.7 million in tax revenue with mobile sports wagering through the next five years, and then realize $9 million a year after that.
“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,” said Wiliam Bush, State Representative and member of the legislative group.
