A ruling this week by a 3-judge panel in a US Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia states that under federal law Delaware cannot host single game sports betting. Following the ruling one newspaper staff writer commented that ‘single-game sports betting, an industry involving hundreds of billions of dollars in the US, will remain illegal and consequently the domain of organized crime.’

Delaware casinos, having spent millions of dollars preparing for the launch of sports betting, will proceed with plans for parlay betting, which was offered in 1976 with bets on the results of three or more NFL games and therefore grandfathered in to escape the 1992 federal ban on sports betting. By offering bets on single games the Delaware government had hoped for revenue in the region of US$53 million in the first year to ease a budget deficit. Governor Jack Markell expressed his disappointment with the court’s decision and is considering an appeal.

The NBA, NFL, NHL, Major League Baseball and the NCAA contend that widespread legalized gambling will create incentives for cheating and had asked the court to grant a preliminary injunction. District Judge Gregory Sleet said an injunction was not warranted because the leagues had not shown that they would suffer irreparable harm without one. However, the ruling was overturned by the 3-judge panel on 24 August, much to the surprise and shock of Delaware casino operators. (E-08.27.09)

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