For the first time since the COVID-19 outbreak led to shortened hours, two Delaware casinos have opened their gaming floors for 24 hours a day.

This month, Bally's Dover Casino & Resort made the announcement that its sportsbook, table games, and slot machines would be operating around-the-clock again. Following the return of 24-hour gambling at Delaware Park Casino in January, the announcement was made.

Prior to the closure, Bally's was closed from Monday through Thursday from 4 to 8 a.m. On weekends, the casino was open around-the-clock.

"We are thrilled to bring back the convenience and flexibility with our 24/7 operating hours,” said Bally’s Dover General Manager Nicholas Polcino. “This change reflects our dedication to enhancing the guest experience and meeting the needs of our diverse and vibrant community.”

According to Polcino, who spoke with Delaware Online, the casino was able to bring on 100 additional staff members, many of whom have experience dealing cards. As a result, the hours have changed. According to the CEO of Bally's, table games will run in the early morning hours in accordance with demand.

The third and only casino in Delaware, Harrington Raceway & Casino, is open eight in the morning to four in the afternoon Monday through Friday and twenty-four hours on the weekends.

 

Growth of iGaming 

BetRivers was named as the Delaware Lottery's new iGaming and sportsbook partner in August of last year. The collaboration resulted from 888 Holdings ending its over ten-year association with the state lottery.

The BetRivers agreement featured an online sportsbook, something that 888 was not given, in addition to online gaming and the ability to bet on sports in person at the three casinos in the state. BetRivers has experienced a surge in new account registrations since assuming control of the Delaware Lottery's iGaming, retail, and online sports betting operations. This increase is mostly attributable to the online sportsbook expansion. This translates into significantly larger monthly earnings from sports betting and iGaming.

June marked the first time in the Delaware iGaming market's history that interactive slots and tables had monthly gross gaming revenue above $5 million.

The $5 million iGaming haul marked a 28% month-over-month increase when GGR reached an all-time high of over $3.9 million in May. In contrast, iGaming revenue in June 2023 was only $1.14 million.

Sports betting and iGaming provide benefits to all three of Delaware's casinos. 56% of the online win is sent to the state's general fund by BetRivers. BetRivers and the casino that first offered online play through its website or app divided the remaining 44%. 

 

Benefits of iGaming

Online casinos are said to enhance play at physical casinos, according to iGaming studies. In March, a study commissioned by the Sports Betting Alliance and its members, DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and Fanatics, revealed that the introduction of legal, regulated iGaming usually results in an increase in income from in-person casinos.

Researchers at the Analysis Group, a Washington, DC-based economic consulting and strategy organization, discovered that brick-and-mortar gaming revenue receipts (GGR) in six states with iGaming regulations report higher retail revenue than they did prior to the legalization of iGaming.

According to the survey, the introduction of internet casino gaming helped land-based casinos in New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Michigan, and Connecticut increase their earnings. The researchers found that once iGaming started, land-based casino revenue climbed by roughly 4%.