Delaware is winning the race in being the US state closest to having fully functioning online gambling in place. In September 2025, when lawmakers estimate having all the systems set up and in place, only online gamblers in Delaware will have access to the platforms.
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Other States Nearing Legitimisation
Other states have been making recent efforts to legalise online gambling, but Delaware is still the only state to have bills passed and approved for online betting.
- Nevada is not far behind Delaware. Online poker was made legal in 2025 and operators already hold licenses, but it is not expected that live gambling will be permitted on sites until late in 2025
- With recent efforts at passing a similar bill in New Jersey, Governor Chris Christie again prevented legislation from passing, which would have permitted the establishment of online gambling organisations. When denying the recent legislation, the Governor indicated that he is not opposed to online gambling, but that the arrangement must be shaped to allow more tax revenues.
Major Players Positioning Themselves for New Bill
Major players are already preparing themselves for the broad licensing of online gambling in US states by teaming up with large European operators, who have been in full operation for over a decade. These partnerships are particularly important, as Delawarean legislation specifies that all operators will be required to have at least a year's experience running online gambling operations.
Scientific Games – Delaware's video lottery organisation – recently acquired WMS industries for $1.4 billion, a gambling organisation that opened an online casino in the UK a few years ago. Could Scientific Games use this connection to a European online casino to help them launch in the Diamond State when legislation passes? This acquisition definitely puts them in good stead going forward. With Scientific Games having the infrastructure in place in the UK, it would seem that they would definitely be ready to go in September as soon as they are given the word.
Delaware's Population Issue
Delaware is one of the smallest states in America and its main concern is whether such a small state can effectively support an online industry alone, a factor that Frank Fantini and other top Delawarean casino analysts agree with. For an online poker industry to run successfully there must be enough players online at any one time to ensure that players do not struggle to find a game suiting their requirements (price, room size and game length)
There is no doubt that the major players will be ready when given the go ahead. The only question is whether the infrastructure is established in the proposed timescale.
