Most states throughout the US posted some disappointing sports betting numbers in February, but there was hope for a bounce-back in March. If the numbers from the state of Delaware are any indication, things are off to a solid start.
Total sports betting handle in Delaware decreased slightly from February to March, but there was an increase in sports betting revenue. Bringing in betting action is important, but the revenue numbers are what really matter to sportsbooks and the state.
The total revenue from sports betting in March was $965,419, and that was an increase of more than 60 percent from the $595,680 brought in during February. All of the revenue came from retail sportsbooks, and the lottery kiosks actually posted a loss for the month.
The total sports betting handle fell by more than 11 percent to just $6.6 million in March. This was an increase of more than 70 percent from the March 2020 total.
Still No Mobile Betting
If Delaware is ever going to take the next step in sports betting, then the state must allow for mobile or online betting. Bettors in the state that wish to place a sports wager online must look elsewhere for options.
Pennsylvania has taken advantage of the restrictive online sports betting laws in Delaware as bettors frequently cross the border to make a wager on their mobile devices. Bettors can also turn to offshore sportsbooks, but these are not regulated by the state of Delaware.
There have been some recent attempts to legalize online sports betting in this state, but it doesn’t appear that a change is imminent.
iGaming Numbers Are Impressive
Despite not allowing online sports betting to take place, Delaware does allow online casino gambling and online poker. These two industries have continued to exceed expectations, and March was another big month for the state.
The total iGaming handle was $21.9 million in March, which was an increase of almost four percent from January. The year-over-year comparison was even larger as iGaming has grown by more than 120 percent.
March iGaming revenue was $751,291, and an increase of nearly $13,000 from the February total. This is not a huge number in comparison to other states, an increase in both handle and revenue is a great sign for Delaware.
More Competition Coming?
Delaware was actually the first state to launch sports betting after the federal ban was lifted, and that part of the country has not seen a ton of growth since 2018. That is expected to change in the coming years, and it could happen as soon as the end of 2021.
Both Maryland and Massachusetts are expected to pass sports betting bills soon, and those two states could become very large markets. New York is also looking to legalize online sports betting, and that would improve the industry in that state as well.
Delaware is not ever going to see much growth in sports betting, but the industry could be affected if other states in the Northeast move to offer sports betting.
