Del. Moves to Legalize Sports Betting

The Delaware State Senate has approved a bill legalizing sports betting and allowing casinos to operate table games like roulette, the News Journal of Wilmington reports. The governor, seeking to close a gaping budget gap, will sign the bill this week. The measure sailed through the senate after a pitched battle in the house that resulted in many changes. The state’s casinos lobbied hard against it.

In addition to granting casinos the right to run table games, the state will also take a bigger percentage of gambling profits. An earlier version of the bill that authorized the building of more casinos in the state was shot down under pressure from the casino lobby. One of two senators who voted no noted that legalizing sports betting made Delaware ineligible to host NCAA postseason games. “It punishes athletes who are innocent victims,” he said. (More gambling stories.)