Delaware’s Online Sports Betting Expansion Faces Opposition from Key Stakeholders
Delaware’s current debate over online sports betting expansion has sparked opposition as the state considers legislation, HB 365, which proposes increasing the number of online sportsbooks from one to six.
The proposed expansion is met with resistance from both the Delaware Lottery and Rush Street Interactive (RSI), the parent company of BetRivers, which currently operates as the sole online sports betting provider in the state.
Opposition from the Delaware Lottery
Helene Keeley, the executive director of the Delaware Lottery, has voiced strong concerns against the bill, arguing that increasing the number of operators would not necessarily enhance state revenue but could potentially reduce it.
According to Keeley, the introduction of additional sportsbooks would fragment the market, resulting in “smaller slices of the pie” for everyone, including the state’s revenue collection. She emphasizes that the Delaware Lottery’s mission is to maximize state revenues, a goal that HB 365 might undermine.
Legislative and Industry Responses
Despite the opposition, the bill’s sponsors, Reps. Frank Cooke and William Bush, argue that expanding the number of online sportsbooks is essential for Delaware to remain competitive with neighboring states that have more robust mobile sports wagering markets.
They believe that the expansion would cater to the preferences of Delaware residents and potentially open up a new revenue stream for the state.
The Delaware Lottery highlighted the success of its new mobile sports and iGaming application, managed via the BetRivers app by the state’s three casinos. In March, the overall sports lottery handle and mobile casino lottery net gaming revenue saw significant increases of 440% and 225%, respectively, compared to the previous year.
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