Delaware Needs More Than Slot Machines

It is not a very well known fact that Delaware is the only state east of the Mississippi that can offer sports betting under federal law, and that may be just the ticket they need. Delaware’s slot machine casinos have ruled the roost in terms of slot machine and gambling revenue for many a year now. However, with Pennsylvania bringing in slot machines, and it looks like Maryland is going to also, they are going to start to see a real dip in their slot machine revenues. 

Since they are the only federally mandated state that can offer sports betting, many in the state think it is high time they added that to their existing slot machines. "If you look at slots as the business it is, this is the one tool in our toolbox that no one can legally match," said state Rep. William A. Oberle Jr. 

The first slot machine casino arrives next month when Harrah’s Entertainment opens their doors in Chester, PA. They are going to be operating 2,000 slot machines, and they are only the first. There will be other tracks, and more slot machines coming soon after that. It is estimated that Pennsylvania’s slot machines could end up taking more than $30 million a year from the state’s share of the slot machines revenue.  

If Maryland decides to bring in slot machines as well, Delaware could end up losing another $100 million from the treasury. Between the slot machines in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, and now possibly Maryland, sports betting is the only solution for a dying industry in the state. They say the new governor of Maryland has already said he wants to legalize slot machines at tracks, so if Delaware doesn’t play their ace in the hole, they are going to lose much more slot machine revenue as time goes on.

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