Delaware’s dominance of regional sports betting may be no longer.
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal law that barred gambling on the outcome of sporting events.
Currently, Delaware is the only state east of the Rockies that offers parlay gaming – that is multi-game betting on NFL games.
But the high court has now opened the possibility that all states may go full speed ahead full sports betting.
The Wilmington News Journal reports that Delaware may now be competing with other states raising the question of what kind of fiscal impact this may have on the state’s finances.
The paper reports that state officials want to make Delaware one of the first states to provide full sports betting.
In effect Delawareans would be able to gamble on such sporting events as major league baseball, Wilmbledon and NASCAR.
Governor John Carney says that the state has been planning for this day and is already testing software and writing up training manuals.
Maryland
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Sports betting in Maryland likely won't be happening soon, despite the Supreme Court's ruling allowing states to approve it.
Maryland has six casinos, but it would take a state constitutional amendment to allow sports betting.
A measure in the state's legislative session this year would have put the matter on the ballot for voters to decide in November, but the bill stalled in the session that ended in April.
The House of Delegates passed a bill, but it did not clear the Senate. The two chambers couldn't agree on whether to allow it at horse racing tracks.
That means the soonest a constitutional amendment could be approved would be in 2020, unless a special session is called and lawmakers pass legislation to put the matter on the November ballot.
