All Time Low for Online Poker in Delaware

The downfall of online poker in Delaware continued in October as the game’s revenue fell beyond September’s figures.

In parallel with the number of registered players, Delaware online gambling revenues are getting higher by each month. The total proceeds in October were USD 182,031. From this USD 49,382 was generated by table games and USD 109,557 by video lottery. At the same time, the total revenue from online poker in Delaware was only USD 24,030, which is even lower than September’s USD 24,532 and last year’s USD 28,465.

The history of online poker in Delaware

In 2013, Delaware became the first state to introduce full-on internet gambling in the US. In November, they launched the site in cooperation with three video lottery casinos: Delaware Park, Dover Downs and Harrington. Powered by 888 the site offered online poker, blackjack and slots. Both parties were excepting an increase in gambling revenues as land-based casinos’ revenues fell in the previous years.

The introduction of online poker in Delaware was intended to attract the younger, solvent audience, as they don’t usually visit land-based gambling destinations. "This is another chapter in Delaware's history of staying competitive in the gaming industry," declared Delaware’s finance secretary, Thomas Cook, in 2013. He also clarified that the aim of online gambling in Delaware is to bring new players and that it’s only secondary to land-based gambling “where people are employed.”

”Just another source of income to” the struggling industry

In the same year, Dover Downs President and CEO Ed Sutor said that online gaming is "just another source of income to an industry that has been knocked on its heels by the competition by neighboring states and the sour economy.'' Two years later in March 2015, Nevada and Delaware launched a joint poker network that connects players between the states. It was also intended to increase the number of online poker players.

Following the Nevada-Delaware poker network’s installation, the monthly online revenues were higher than before: 

• USD 43,636 in March
• USD 48,552 in April
• USD 39,242 in May. 

After a huge drop in June, the proceeds remained between USD 31,000 – 25,000. However, the plan was a success as overall online gambling revenues are rising.