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Real Money Online Poker in Delaware - play legally at these sites in 2023!

Online Poker Delaware

Can I play online poker in Delaware? The answer is yes!

Is it legal to play online poker in Delaware? The answer to this is also yes!


Delaware is one of the oddest states to have regulated online poker because it has a relatively small population, and prior to combining player pools with Nevada, it had a grand total of 35 average players online at any given time. These paltry Delaware online poker numbers and underwhelming support have caused offshore sites to remain strong in the state as players need better options if they want game selection of any kind. When you opt to play online poker in Delaware, you deserve to have a better experience than that provided by the three fledgling, unremarkable rooms that have the state's official seal of approval.

With that preamble then, it’s easy to see why offshore sites might remain open to players from the state of Delaware. While some sites have decided that it still isn’t worth the hassle to offer games in the state, some very good options for players exist and should be viable options for players.

At this point, we wish to make it abundantly clear to you that it's not against the law for you to register for, deposit at, and start playing at the offshore internet poker site of your choice. Delaware law doesn't have any penalties enforced for participating in this hobby, and neither do the federal laws. Some used to argue that the Wire Act made online poker illegal nationwide, but a Department of Justice opinion in 2011 explained that the Wire Act was only applicable to sports betting, not poker or any other type of internet wagering. The UIGEA is also irrelevant because it only comes into force where other legislation has criminalized a specific gambling activity, which isn’t the case with online poker.

What Online Poker Sites Can I Play in Delaware?

Although there are a few online poker providers that have chosen to exit the Delaware market, there are plenty of reputable companies that remain. We've selected all the sites below for their honesty and record of integrity. Whichever of them you decide to play at, you'll be treated to fair dealing mechanisms, well-functioning software, and the speedy payment of your winnings.

1

SB POKER

BONUS:
100% up to $1,000
★★★★
4.6 / 5

BEST DE ONLINE POKER SITE FOR BAD BEAT JACKPOT

NETWORK:
CHICO
EXTRAS
CASINO, SPORTSBOOK
MORE INFO
READ REVIEW

SB Poker has more players than any other poker room serving Delaware's residents. It boasts NLHE, 6+ Hold'em, PLO, and PLO/8 cash games, together with fast-fold Boost Poker, sit-n-goes, lottery-inspired Windfalls, and a full complement of multi-table tournaments. The Bad Beat Jackpot here is the largest one available to Americans, and it has sometimes exceeded $1 million. Even if you chose not to participate in the BBJ tables, you can still benefit from the weekly leaderboards for cash games and SNGs.

Sportsbetting has a 100% up to $1,000 welcome bonus for poker, and there are other bonuses for the casino and sportsbook. The poker client is available for download to PCs and Macs, and there are also versions that work with iOS and Android.

VISIT SB POKER NOW
2

BETONLINE

BONUS:
100% up to $1,000
★★★★
4.3 / 5

BEST DE ONLINE POKER SITE FOR ALL-IN-ONE GAMING

NETWORK:
CHICO
EXTRAS
CASINO, SPORTSBOOK
MORE INFO
READ REVIEW

BetOnline is a sister site of SB Poker, and so it has all the same games and poker promotions as its partner. BetOnline may be the best gaming site for you if you appreciate conducting multiple forms of betting because, besides poker, it has a casino with two Live Dealer sections, a sportsbook, and a racebook.

New players at BOL get a 100% up to $1,000 poker bonus, three 100% up to $1,000 matches for casino gaming, another 100% up to $1,000 sports bonus on crypto deposits, a risk free $25 bet in the racebook, and many other special deals.

VISIT BETONLINE NOW
3

COIN POKER

BONUS:
100% up to $700
★★★★
4.2 / 5

BEST DE ONLINE POKER SITE ON THE CUTTING EDGE

NETWORK:
STANDALONE
EXTRAS
33% RAKEBACK
MORE INFO
READ REVIEW

Coin Poker is devoted to shaking up the way things are done in the world of online poker. Tables (Hold'em, Omaha, 5 Card Omaha, and Open Face Chinese) are denominated in USDT crypto coins. All shuffling is decentralized, and you can even validate the RNG's results with a tool provided for this express purpose. There's an in-house crypto too, called “CHP,” and users who hold a CHP balance gain certain long-term rewards and benefits.

CoinPoker offers software for iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac. You can benefit from exceptional welcome bonuses here including a 100% bonus of up to $700, a 100% of up to $300, and another 100% match bonus worth up to $100. You'll also have the opportunity to obtain recurring rewards through the weekly cash and tournament leaderboards and earn 33% rakeback, as long as you hold CHP coins in your CoinPoker account.

VISIT COIN POKER NOW
4

EVERYGAME

BONUS:
200% up to $1,000
★★★★
4.1 / 5

BEST DE ONLINE POKER SITE FOR RAKEBACK

NETWORK:
HORIZON
EXTRAS
CASINOS, SPORTSBOOK
MORE INFO
READ REVIEW

Everygame is the second-largest poker room by player traffic in Delaware. There are usually a few tables of NL Hold'em and PL Omaha running at any time, and sometimes PLO/8 gets off the ground too. The tournament schedule tends to attract smaller fields than at most competitors, but this means that there are sometimes overlays on the guaranteed amounts. Besides 36% rakeback for life when you sign up through our links, you will also benefit from a weekly $4k rake race, frequent reload bonuses, a loyalty levels program, and other promos.

Everygame Poker runs natively on Windows machines, and there's an Instant Play feature on the website that lets you play from virtually every other kind of hardware too. New players get a 200% up to $1,000 bonus and 25 free spins in the casino.

VISIT EVERYGAME NOW
5

JUICY STAKES

BONUS:
200% up to $1,000
★★★★
4.1 / 5

BEST DE ONLINE POKER SITE FOR PROMOTIONS

NETWORK:
HORIZON
EXTRAS
CASINO
MORE INFO
READ REVIEW

Juicy Stakes is the little brother of Everygame. While it lacks a sportsbook and some of the casino options present at Everygame, the poker room is virtually identical. Juicy Stakes is a great place to pick up some free cash, though, because of its ever-rotating schedule of promos. They include reload bonuses, a weekly rake race, no deposit bonuses, value-loaded satellites to prestigious live events, and freerolls. There's plenty happening on the casino side too, like casino tournaments, free bets, free spins, and cashback weekends.

Juicy Stakes offers a Windows download as well as a cross-platform Instant Play client. Upon your first deposit, you'll get a 200% up to $1,000 bonus along with 25 free slot spins.

VISIT JUICY STAKES NOW
6

SWC POKER

BONUS:
NONE
★★★★
4.0 / 5

BEST DE ONLINE POKER SITE WITH THE MOST GAME VARIANTS

NETWORK
STANDALONE
RAKEBACK
UP TO 50%
MORE INFO
READ REVIEW

SwCPoker is the latest incarnation of the original Bitcoin poker room, Seals With Clubs. At SwC, all cashier functions and gameplay are conducted in Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash with one chip equal to one-millionth of a coin. Besides its crypto-friendliness, SwC's main claim to fame is the broad array of poker variants supported, which include NLHE, PLO, and PLO/8 but also more niche formats, like Open Face Chinese, Razz, 11-game, 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball, HORSE, and many others.

You can download SwC for Windows, Mac, or Android, and there's also an HTML5 version that works through the web. There's no first deposit bonus, but you can get up to 50% rakeback through the Krill program depending on your lifetime volume.

VISIT SWCPOKER NOW
7

NITROBETTING

BONUS:
100% up to 25mBTC
★★★
3.7 / 5

BEST DE ONLINE POKER SITE FOR BITCOIN POKER

NETWORK:
STANDALONE
EXTRAS
CASINO, SPORTSBOOK
MORE INFO
READ REVIEW

Nitrobetting prides itself in conducting all gaming, deposits, and withdrawals in the Bitcoin crypto-currency with 1,000 chips equal to 1 bitcoin. The games you can play are NL and FL Texas Hold'em, PLO, Six Plus Hold'em, and Crazy Pineapple. Depending on the weekly volume you put in at the tables, you can qualify for valuable freerolls. In addition, there's a Nitro rewards program that lets you trade in points for free money.

Nitrobetting uses browser-based software, which means that it's compatible with just about every modern computing platform, including Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. Get a poker bonus worth 100% of your first deposit up to 25mBTC.

VISIT NITROBETTING NOW

How to Choose the Best Delaware Poker Site For Your Style of Play

Each online poker site that's available in Delaware has its own particular way of doing things, and the one that's best for you may not be identical to the one that any other player would prefer. You'll have to consider your own situation and playing habits along with the information we've presented to identify which poker room you think best fits your criteria. Although we can't recommend any one site as being superior in all ways to the others, we do have a list of factors for you to think about as you're making your decision.

◆ If you're looking for a large number of games active simultaneously, then SB Poker or BetOnline is the answer.


◆ If you're interested in playing unusual formats of poker, then SwCPoker and CoinPoker have a broad array of poker variants for you to try.


◆ If you like wagering on sports and casino games too, then SB Poker, BetOnline, Everygame, and Nitrobetting are all reasonable solutions.


◆ If playing from a Mac or mobile is essential to you, then SB Poker, BOL, Nitrobetting, and SwC are worthy of your attention.


◆ If you want steady returns from a rakeback deal, then Everygame and Juicy Stakes offer 36%. CoinPoker also offers 33% to players who hold CHP, CoinPoker's proprietary coin.


◆ If you're eager to take advantage of a large welcome bonus, then Everygame and Juicy Stakes have 200% up to $1,000 matches for you to claim.


◆ If you want to play in games denominated in cryptocurrency like Bitcoin, then Nitrobetting, SwCPoker, and CoinPoker are all fine choices.

How Do I Receive Withdrawals and Payouts in Delaware?

Image of Cash

The payout situation for offshore sites, in general, is pretty decent nowadays. You'll have any number of options for receiving your cash, from checks to money transfers, depending on the particular poker room you call home. In recent years, support for Bitcoin has proliferated to the point that it's possible to make BTC withdrawal requests from all of the sites on our list. Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency that permits you to send your money across the internet with low fees and nearly unlimited personal freedom. If you're unsure of how to use Bitcoin for online poker, then head over to our Bitcoin online gambling guide.

Alternatives to Registering Your Account in the state of Delaware

Delaware and Nearby States

Perhaps you are lucky enough to control another address in a nearby state, be it your business address, summer home, second apartment, family home, etc. If so, then you might have other online poker options available to choose from. Here is a list of the states that border Delaware and Professional Rakeback's review on each of them: Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and New Jersey. If you range further afield to states that aren't named above, then perhaps our guide to USA poker sites may be more your speed.

If you've found this page useful, then please share it with any of your friends and family that you think would like to learn about Delaware online poker. You'll be doing your part to relieve the ignorance of online poker that plagues citizens of this great state and the country as a whole.

Facts About Delaware Poker Industry

This section will aim to present factual information about the laws and legality of online poker and gambling in the state of Delaware, land-based gambling information, current and future state regulations, and the history of poker and gambling throughout the state.

The Legality of Playing Poker Online in Delaware

Legal Reference Book

The Delaware legislation that permitted regulated online poker made plenty of stipulations governing the way the games are to be run and the requirements that qualifying organizations and personnel must meet. However, it did nothing to modernize the Delaware criminal laws to take account of internet-related developments. Thus, the pre-existing DE gambling law continues to be applied to the pursuit of online poker as conducted by individual players.

The relevant statutes are contained in the Delaware Code, Title 11 - Crimes and Criminal Procedure - Part I - Delaware Criminal Code - Chapter 5 - Specific Offenses - Subchapter VII - Offenses Against Public Health, Order and Decency - D. Offenses Involving Gambling. Unfortunately, they're a confusing mishmash that seem like they could interact with each other in any number of bizarre ways. On the plus side, most of the provisions appear to target operators rather than players.

We don't encounter any definition of what gambling is notwithstanding the fact that this information is key to the interpretation of the various chapters dealing with it. However, Delaware case law tends to adhere to the rule that any activity that contains the three elements of prize, consideration, and chance is gambling. Under this framework, poker, both online and live, would be gambling although an argument can be made regarding the “chance” part of this formula. Indeed, no less an authority than federal judge Jack B. Weinstein found in 2012 that poker was a game of skill, not chance. We don't yet have any idea whether or not this line of reasoning has found favor with the Delaware authorities.

Proceeding toward the actual language of the law, we find in §1404 the offense of “Providing premises for gambling”:

A person is guilty of providing premises for gambling when:

(1) The person lets, demises or transfers to another person any building, structure, room or rooms knowing that the same will be used for the purpose of committing any gambling offense; or

(2) The person knowingly permits any house, structure, building, room or rooms of which the person has possession or control to be used for the purpose of committing any gambling offense; or

(3) The person contributes to the support and maintenance of any house or place where gambling is carried on or conducted; or

(4) The person keeps or maintains any house or place where gambling is carried on.

(3) and (4) could theoretically include playing online poker in one's own home. This crime is considered an unclassified misdemeanor, which can result in imprisonment for up to 30 days and/or a fine as high as $575. This is a pretty minor penalty, but it gets even better when we reflect on the fact that neither this law nor any other Delaware law has ever been used to go after internet poker players. You have nothing to fear from law enforcement if you wish to enjoy virtual card games on your computer.

The state of Delaware has a fairly broad definition of “gambling device,” which some contend makes any computer used to play online poker such a device and therefore covered under §1405, “Possessing a gambling device.” Here is the wording of this definition:

(c) "Gambling device" means any device, machine, paraphernalia or equipment which is used or usable in the playing phases of any gambling activity, whether the activity consists of gambling between persons or gambling by a person involving the playing of a machine. Lottery tickets, policy slips and other items used in the playing phases of lottery and policy schemes are not gambling devices.

However, any interpretation of “gambling device” that's expansive enough to include a personal computer would also prevent people from accessing the state-supervised Delaware online gambling sites. This clearly cannot be the intent of the law, so we feel that this paragraph has no application when it comes to online poker.

Another section of the law that some argue could be applied to internet poker is §1411, “Unlawfully disseminating gambling information”:

A person is guilty of unlawfully disseminating gambling information when:

(1) Being a public utility it knowingly furnishes to another person a private wire for use in disseminating information in furtherance of gambling or for gambling purposes; or

(2) The person knowingly uses a private wire in disseminating or receiving information in furtherance of gambling or for gambling purposes; or

(3) The person engages in the business of or receives compensation in any form for disseminating or receiving information in furtherance of gambling or for gambling purposes by means of a private wire or a call service.

Ordinary players are clearly not included in (1) and (3) above, but (2) appears that it could very well criminalize the mere playing of online cards depending on whether or not the internet is a “private wire.” Fortunately, the framers of the law have given us a fairly comprehensive explanation of “private wire”:

(e) "Private wire" means service equipment, facilities, conduits, poles, wires, circuits, systems by means of which service is furnished for communication purposes, either through the medium of telephone, telegraph, Morse, teletypewriter, loudspeaker or any other means, or by which the voice or electrical impulses are sent over a wire, and which services are contracted for or leased for services between 2 or more points specifically designated, and are not connected to or available for general telegraphic, telephonic or teletypewriter exchange or toll service, and includes such services known as "special contract leased wire service," "leased line," "private line," "private system," "Morse line," "private wire," but does not include the usual and customary telephone or teletypewriter service by which the subscriber may be connected at each separate call to any other telephone or teletypewriter designated by the subscriber only through the general telephone or teletypewriter exchange system or toll service.

This business about “any other means” is a catchall term that probably includes the internet, but when we keep reading, we see that this definition designates private methods of communication that only connect two separate points to each other. The internet, as a global telecommunications network, would not therefore be a “private wire” because anyone can log onto it without setting up special links between the two parties.

It should be obvious by now that most of the laws dealing with gambling in Delaware don't affect online poker playing. Even the one section that could plausibly be held to prohibit the pastime is never, in actuality, used to go after private players.

It's different, of course, for the operators of online gaming services. They face a host of possible criminal prosecutions for unlawfully disseminating gambling information, possessing a gambling device, advancing gambling in the first and second degrees, and related offenses. Most of these are Class A misdemeanors, which carry sentences of up to a year in prison and fines of up to $2,300.

Forms of gambling that are specifically authorized are exempt from these laws. They include pari-mutuel wagering, the lottery, licensed online poker and casino games as supervised by the Delaware Lottery, and charitable games. There's also limited sports betting because Delaware was one of the four states exempt from the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, which effectively banned sports betting in most parts of the United States.

Delaware hasn't really historically been one of the most fervent states in enforcing its laws against online gambling operators. Nevertheless, there are a few companies that have opted to stop serving the state's residents. Perhaps they're worried that Delaware's leaders now have an incentive to step up their efforts against offshore operators with the implementation of a regulated market. In any event, there still remain several firms that are happy to accept Delawareans, so you have many poker sites ready for you to play at.

Live Gambling

Delaware Park Casino Logo

There's a pretty robust offline gambling environment in Delaware for a state of its limited population and geographic area. You can bet on casino games and engage in pari-mutuel wagering at any of the three “racinos.” It's even possible to bet on sports at these locations and in many other retail sites throughout the state.

This sports betting action used to be strictly limited to multi-team parlays. However, this changed in June 2018 when traditional single-game wagering debuted at the racinos. The Delaware Lottery, in addition to the usual draw and instant win games, also has its own type of card-based sports betting.

Charitable bingo, raffles, instant and sealed games, and Texas Hold'em poker tournaments are legally permitted within the borders of the Blue Hen State. There are certain limitations that apply to charitable poker tournaments, such as a restriction on the top prize of $5,000 and a maximum of $13,000 in total prizes awarded in a single tourney.

Fans of live card games in Delaware are probably better served by either Delaware Park or Harrington Raceway, which both have poker rooms. Delaware Park is the larger of the two with 25 tables featuring mostly low-stakes NL Hold'em. The tournament schedule has events every day with buyins between $45 and $150.

State Regulation

Black Ribbon

As a forerunner in the legalized online poker space, Delaware raised high hopes and was eagerly watched by other states contemplating the initiation of their own internet gaming markets. Yet, this initial promise has turned out not to have materialized. Online poker rake and fees for July 2021 amounted to only $33,308.95. The casino games fared better with $759,708.21 in revenue generated between video lottery and table games, but the overall profits from the state's three iGaming enterprises remain tiny.

As a player, the situation isn't exactly rosy either. The three available online rooms have the same software, so there isn't really any choice as to which platform you play on. When we consider the low player counts and the small tournaments that result from them, it's plain that offshore sites present better alternatives to the citizens of The First State.

History of Gambling in Delaware

Ancient Compass

The lands now a part of the state of Delaware have been inhabited since prehistoric times, and gambling was a fixture of daily life even before Europeans arrived. The Lenni Lenape were devotees of the dice game, or mamantuhwin. This was a contest involving throwing dice made of bone. The various combinations scored different numbers of points, and the winner was whoever achieved the highest total.

Delaware was claimed by Sweden, the Netherlands, and England during the 17th century, but eventually, the English prevailed over their rivals. Delaware was adjoined to Pennsylvania during most of the colonial period, only separating as its own state in 1776 during the American Revolution. This didn’t prevent it from hosting its fair share of gambling activities.

In 1760, the first horse racing facility was established in Newark. Betting on the races wasn't exactly permitted by the law, but officials largely turned a blind eye to the private wagering that was occurring.

Lotteries during the colonial era were frequently used for civic improvements, like the construction of the University of Delaware. In fact, the three counties of Delaware became something of a hotbed of lottery activity, especially following prohibitory legislation in Pennsylvania in 1762. After 10 years, however, Delaware's leaders had a change of heart and passed "An Act for the restraining and preventing lotteries." In explaining their rationale for doing so, they stated:

Whereas lotteries in general are pernicious and destructive to frugality, industry and commerce, are introductive of idleness and immorality, and against the common good and welfare of a people: And whereas lotteries for the disposal of private property at an over-rated value, for the sole benefits of the proprietors, and other selfish and illaudable purposes, have lately been set up and drawn in these counties, and are become very frequent…
Poster Promoting an 1859 Delaware LotteryAdvertising for an 1859 Delaware Lottery

This ban turnout out to be temporary, and lotteries were a regular feature in Delaware in the 1790s and beyond. Moral outrage against their predatory aspects and many lottery scams led to most states prohibiting them in the 1840s, but Delaware opted not to proscribe them at this time. Delaware was the last state in the Union to ban lotteries in the 19th century, but it finally did so in its 1897 constitution: the state's fourth constitution and the one that's still in force today. The relevant text is in Article II, Section 17:

Lotteries, the sale of lottery tickets, pool selling and all other forms of gambling are prohibited in this State.

This section means that gambling is only allowed in Delaware as the result of amendments to the constitution, a number of which have been enacted since its original writing.

Despite the illegality of selling lottery tickets in Delaware at this time, some were tempted by the money to be made. Wilmingtonian John M. Rogers was convicted in 1907 of printing tickets for the Honduras National Lottery Company, the successor to the corrupt Louisiana Lottery, and he had to pay a $10,000 fine. Moreover, all his lottery-related material was seized, and he had to “dispose of” his printing equipment.

It took the economic stresses of the Great Depression before Delaware instituted any form of legal gambling. Perhaps reeling from decreased tax revenues, the state began licensing pari-mutuel wagering activities in 1935. Two years later, Delaware Park opened in Stanton.

Delaware ParkPostcard Depicting Delaware Park Racetrack in Stanton

Charitable gaming soon followed in 1957 with the passage of a constitutional amendment authorizing it. At first, this was limited to just bingo, but in later decades, raffles, Texas Hold'em tournaments, and other forms of gaming were added. Several casino games, like slot machines, craps, and baccarat, are still prohibited for charitable purposes.

In 1974, the Delaware constitution was changed to allow a lottery, and one was duly set up. It began selling tickets the next year. In 1976, the lottery began offering an unusual type of sports betting where the purchasers had to correctly pick the results of several NFL matches in order to score a prize. This game only lasted a single season before it was discontinued.

In 1995, racetracks were permitted to operate video lottery terminals, and they were soon installed in the state's three racetracks: Delaware Park, Dover Downs, and Harrington Park. In 2009, legislation passed allowing these venues to also provide casino table games and poker.

Also in 2009, the state attempted to develop a variety of sports betting products because of its exemption from the federal PASPA law banning sports betting. However, several professional sports leagues contested the legality of this, and the court decision, in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, went against Delaware. Thus, the state was only permitted to offer the same kind of limited sports betting that it had served up in 1976: multi-game parlays on NFL games.

In June 2012, Delaware passed the first state-level law in the country allowing for legalized online poker: The Delaware Gaming Competitiveness Act. It also covered online casino gaming. Real money play started in November 2013. The three state-licensed online poker sites are managed by the three Delaware racinos. They're run under the auspices of the Delaware Lottery. All three online rooms employ the same software by 888, and they share player pools.

In February 2014, Governor Jack Markell signed an agreement with Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval to combine online poker liquidity. This combined traffic pooling compact went into effect March 2015. In October 2017, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie added his state to the arrangement, so now Delaware sites share player traffic with both Nevada and New Jersey. This has had a noticeable positive effect on total player numbers; however, it's still not enough to really compete with the largest of the offshore sites.

In 2017, Delaware explicitly legalized Daily Fantasy Sports. This was just a foretaste of what was to come the following year when the Supreme Court invalidated the longstanding federal ban on sports betting expansion.

The Supreme Court rendered its decision on May 14, and the three Delaware racinos begin accepting bets less than a month later on June 5. This speedy rollout was achieved because Delaware had already had the legislative and physical framework in place to handle licensed sports betting.

The major weakness of Delaware-regulated sports betting is the fact that it must take place at designated brick-and-mortar facilities. There's no mobile or online betting in the Delaware regulated market at present although most observers feel that it's only a matter of time before this changes.

We have compiled a detailed and thorough historical timeline recounting every gambling-related event to occur in the state of Delaware. The timeline can be found below.

Timeline of Gambling in Delaware

Famous Delaware Poker Players

Jennifer Leigh Jennifer “Jennicide” Leigh

It's not surprising, in light of Delaware's modest size and its relatively minor role in poker history, that there are few household names in the world of poker who hail from The Diamond State. The all-time DE leader in live tournament winnings is Abraham Korotki, from Bethany Beach, who has more than $1.8 million in MTT winnings. He hasn't scored a WSOP bracelet yet, but he does have two gold rings for victories in WSOP Circuit events to his name.

Korotki is perhaps most infamous for entering a ladies tournament at the Borgata in 2009 and winning it. Organizers couldn't bar him from registering because of sex discrimination laws.

A poker lady from Delaware who actually is female is Jennifer “Jennicide” Leigh from Wilmington. She began playing at PokerStars in the early 2000s and worked her way up to $100/$200 Limit Hold'em cash games. She's equally as well-known for her exploits off the felt, which have included photoshoots for FHM and Playboy magazines.

Other Types of Online Gambling in Delaware

Delaware offers a variety of live gambling opportunities, but many players are looking to gamble from the comfort of their own homes on the internet. There are numerous online casinos serving players from Delaware, but it can be hard to know which casinos are trustworthy and worth your time. Our expert gamblers have scoured the internet, playing for real money across endless sites to determine which sites are reliable and worth your trust. Below, we will provide our list of the best casinos and sportsbooks available for players in Delaware.

Online Casinos

Delaware has only three racinos along with their licensed online counterparts, which is why many of its residents prefer to play at non-state licensed sites instead. By so doing, you can benefit from a wider array of games and promotions than if you were limited to the three state-run options.

A few offshore casino brands have abandoned the Delaware market, but there are at least three that remain.

1. Wild Casino - Up to $9,000 in Bonuses Over 5 Deposits
2. Everygame Casino - 3 Software Platforms, Many Bonuses, Tournaments, and Other Promos
3. Nitrobetting Casino - Play Casino Games With Bitcoin

There are other offshore casinos available in Delaware and the rest of the United States. You can find out more about them with this list of most trusted us online casinos.

Online Sportsbooks

It's possible to wager on sports at three brick-and-mortar locations in Delaware. Yet, you might be the type of individual who prefers to head online for reasons of convenience or personal preference. Fortunately, there are several upstanding international bookmakers that are more than happy to book your bets over the internet.

We have researched them and have identified three that provide a superior betting experience.

1. Sportsbetting.ag - 100% up to $1,000 BTC Welcome Bonus and Never-ending Reloads
2. Everygame Sports - Up to $250 Bonus on Your First Three Deposits
3. Nitrobetting Sports - Bet on Sports With Bitcoin

There are other options for betting on sports online, and you can read more about them with this overview of the best online sportsbook USA websites.

Summary of Online Poker in Delaware

If you're not satisfied with the regulated Delaware online poker sites, then offshore internet poker rooms are waiting for you. Choose a great destination for online poker in Delaware from our recommended list, and you'll be betting, raising, and folding in no time.

Frequently Asked Questions

If there are still some points regarding Delaware online poker that you're unsure of, then check out our FAQ below. You may find the answers you seek.

There are internet gambling sites that are regulated by the state of Delaware, and they offer poker among their product menus. However, all three of the sites that are legally sanctioned by the state are small and are basically clones of each other. Promotional value is light as is player traffic. This is why we advise our readers to stick with one of the offshore poker rooms that accept customers from Delaware.

Online poker is explicitly legal at one of the state-supervised sites. What's more, it's totally fine, from a legal perspective, for you to play at any other site that you want to even if it's not licensed by the state. There are no state laws that prohibit this form of entertainment. Even the few statutes that could be (mis?)interpreted to ban online poker are never enforced against individual players.

It's fully legal for you to log onto PokerStars and play, but unfortunately, you cannot. You see, PokerStars was targeted in the Black Friday indictments of 2011. As part of the resolution of the case, the firm agreed to exit the U.S. market entirely except in those areas where it is specifically authorized to operate. PokerStars has obtained a license to provide regulated New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan online poker, and it's therefore open to residents of those states, but it hasn't gone through the licensing process in Delaware. Thus, it doesn't allow Delawareans to sign up for new real money accounts.

Ignition Casino Poker is part of the Hong Kong-based PaiWangLuo Group, which bases its U.S.-facing operations on well-understood international trade agreements that the United States is a party to. Based upon these facts, the execs of the company would likely contend that its operations are legal in all 50 states. However, Ignition tempers its legal arguments with a careful consideration of real-world concerns. For whatever reason, the enterprise has concluded that operating in Delaware isn't worth the potential risk, so you cannot create an account at Ignition as a DE citizen.

BetOnline offers a legal internet poker room to people in Delaware notwithstanding the fact that state officials would probably contend that this business is against the law. We must bear in mind that the World Trade Organization has ruled that the United States isn't honoring its treaty commitments by continuing to block legitimate organizations from providing real money gaming within U.S. territory. Therefore, according to a broad view, taking into account not just the whims of local legislation but also international commitments that the United States has voluntarily made, BetOnline's presence in Delaware is completely legal.

Global Poker representatives have outlined a legal framework under which the company claims to offer fully legal online poker in Delaware. We're not completely convinced of these claims. While this topic is too complicated to go into in this FAQ, you can read more about it in our Global Poker review page.

Delaware allows its residents to bet on the lotto, the racetrack, and charitable games at the age of 18. There's a higher age of 21 that applies to sports betting, casino games, and poker. Thus, if you wish to remain within a strict interpretation of the law, you ought to be at least 21 to sign up and play at an online poker site. Most online poker rooms will actually allow you to partake of their services as long as you're at least 18. They can't effectively police the minimum gambling ages in thousands of jurisdictions around the global, which is why they leave this responsibility to the members of the public who wish to create accounts and wager online. We advise you to not engage in underage gambling because this may cause problems later on when it's time to request your withdrawals and you have to submit your identifying information.

It would be foolish for you to run a gambling operation within the borders of Delaware. The offshore sites can act without fear because their offices, personnel, and servers are located in jurisdictions that Delaware law enforcement can't reach. It's a different story for Delaware's own citizens, who put themselves at risk of getting busted if they manage real money gaming enterprises inside the state. While there haven't been any recent reports of DE authorities shutting down illicit online betting services, there have been isolated instances of bar and restaurant owners getting into legal trouble for offline wagering shenanigans. For instance, in 2006, video poker machines and cash were seized from six Delaware bars, which were accused of breaking the gambling laws. In some cases, violating Delaware's anti-gambling strictures can trigger the application of federal statutes, so anyone contemplating an underground gambling establishment in Delaware could get in trouble with the FBI too.

While the ACH bank transfers offered by the licensed Delaware online gambling sites aren't available to U.S.A. players at offshore poker rooms, there is still a full palette of cashier options for users to enjoy. Those who value privacy and freedom from banking regulations can conduct their poker transactions with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. BTC lets you send your money inexpensively wherever you want whenever you want without anybody supervising your activities. All of the Delaware online poker sites that we work with support Bitcoin. Several alternate crypto-currencies, or “altcoins,” have also begun appearing at online poker rooms. If you want to learn more about Ethereum and how to use it for online gaming, check out our ETH gambling guide. We've prepared a similar page covering Bitcoin Cash too. If you'd prefer to avoid crypto-currency at this time, then you can request checks, debit cards, and several other types of payouts depending on the specific site you're playing at.

Both the state of Delaware and the United States federal government consider gambling winnings to be taxable income. The individual online gaming firms don't supply the required information to the relevant tax bureaucracies, so it's up to you to report your gambling income. The rates you'll have to pay depend on many factors, such as whether you're a pro or amateur player, your level of income, whether you're married or single, et cetera. You can consult with a qualified tax attorney or accountant for advice regarding your particular situation.

More and more poker organizations are releasing software that works with Macs. Of the offshore internet poker rooms that serve Delaware, you can play from your Mac at SB Poker, BetOnline, SwCPoker, and Nitrobetting among others. Even at those sites without dedicated Mac poker clients, you may have luck running the regular Windows software through an emulation program, like Parallels. Other sites have browser-based poker solutions, which tend to work fine on Macs.

The numbers show that mobile computing is no longer a niche but is rather a mainstream phenomenon. Online gaming and poker firms have jumped on board the mobile computing revolution by releasing poker software that works on smartphones, tablets, and other devices with smaller screens than desktops. In some cases, there are downloadable apps to install, and in others, the poker lobby runs over the web without any extra installation required. SB Poker, BetOnline, and SwC are some of online poker sites in Delaware that cater to mobile users.


We strive to maintain this information and update it frequently with our research. However, we are not immune to making mistakes or omitting information that you, dear reader, may find of use. If you have any further questions not addressed in this guide or have noted any discrepancies or inaccuracies we urge you to contact us with your questions and concerns so that we may swiftly address them!