Delaware's April iGaming report showed that revenue was $856,182, a 66% increase from March ($514,959) and more than triple the amount from April 2019 ($263,183), according to the Delaware Lottery, which oversees gaming in the state.
Total iGaming handle in April was $28,496,616 — by far the state’s biggest month — with players winning $27,724,468, according to the Delaware Lottery figures. The handle was $16,350,532 in March and $11,948,658 in April 2019.
Delaware is one of four states — New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Nevada are the others — that have online gaming options besides sports betting. Online casino gaming is legal in Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and Online poker sites are legal in those three plus Nevada.
Delaware iGaming April vs. March
| |
APRIL 2020 |
MARCH 2020 |
CHANGE |
| Total Handle |
$28,496,616 |
$16,350,533 |
+74% |
| Total Revenue |
$856,182 |
$514,959 |
+66% |
On Wednesday, New Jersey reported almost $80 million in online casino ($74.8 million) and poker revenue ($5.15 million) in April. That was up 23.4% from $64.8 million in March and more than double the $36.6 million the state had last year in April.
Gov. John Carney last week extended Delaware’s stay-at-home order until May 31, according to published reports. It had been set to expire on Friday. Carney began loosening some regulations on May 8 and hopes to start the first phase of reopening the state on June 1. Delaware Park's casino closed indefinitely beginning March 16 and the other two racinos in the state, Dover Downs and Harrington, have closed.
Delaware IGaming April 2020 vs. April 2019
| |
APRIL 2020 |
APRIL 2019 |
CHANGE |
| Total Handle |
$28,496,616 |
$11,948,659 |
+138.5% |
| Total Revenue |
$856,182 |
$263,183 |
+225.3% |
Barren Mobile Betting Market in Delaware
With the casinos closed and no mobile betting available in the state, April’s sports betting numbers, which usually come out several days after the iGaming figures, will be zero. Delaware sports bettors wagered $3,877,068 in March with revenue of $571,486 in March, 257% increase over February revenue.
Because of its size, Delaware’s mobile market would be a fraction of the ones in neighbor states Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Delaware saw just $12.5 million in sports gambling revenue in 2019 -- that’s usually not even a good month for Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Top New Jersey sportsbooks reported more than $13 million in revenue in March and Pennsylvania was around $6.9 million last month even with sports shut down for half of the month.
But with the iGaming numbers so robust in Delaware and competition increasing from other states in the region, Delaware could look to add mobile betting. Maryland is set to join the market after the state approved a sports betting bill that heads to a referendum vote in November.
https://www.gambling.com/news/delaware-igaming-numbers-soar-in-april-with-casinos-closed-2245300