Sports Betting Revenues Up In Delaware

Delaware’s sports betting and online casino industries experienced significant changes in December 2023. While sports betting revenue soared, the online casino segment held steady despite a decline in player spending.

In December 2023, Delaware’s sports betting revenue reached an impressive $2.1 million, representing a substantial 50% increase compared to the previous year. This surge can be attributed to a rise in handle, with Delaware players wagering $5.8 million on sports during the month. This figure exceeded December 2022’s total by 7.3% and November 2023’s total by 8.6%.

Among the key players in the sports wagering market, Delaware Park emerged as the leader with $302,801 in revenue from a $2.1 million handle. Bally’s Dover followed closely with $161,432 off a $1.1 million handle, while Harrington Raceway generated $65,701 from a handle of $448,031.

Delaware’s sports betting landscape also witnessed an exciting development with the launch of the state’s first online sportsbook. Powered by Rush Street Interactive (RSI) and BetRivers, the sportsbook soft launched on December 27, 2023, and went fully live a week later. This new addition contributed an additional $1.5 million in revenue from $5.2 million in wagers placed with retailers throughout the month.

Accompanying the launch of the online sportsbook, three existing online casinos operated by Delaware Park, Bally’s Dover Casino, and Harrington Raceway & Casino received updates. Despite a reduction in player spending, the online casino segment reported steady revenue in December 2023.

Revenue from online casino activities reached $1.2 million, remaining level with the same month in 2022. This figure also represented a 9.1% increase compared to November 2023’s revenue of $1.1 million. The breakdown of online casino revenue for December 2023 was as follows: video lottery accounted for $968,264, table games contributed $174,138, and poker rake and fees amounted to $24,191.

Although player spending on online casino games decreased by 29.4% compared to December 2022, with a total of $31.3 million wagered, the segment managed to maintain its revenue stability. In November 2023, player spending on online casino games amounted to $32.1 million. The breakdown of player spending in December 2023 was $18.2 million on video lottery games and $13.1 million on table games. Total winnings for the month reached $30.2 million.