Delaware Online Poker Posts Strong November Earnings, Revenues Soar 20.6 Percent

Delaware online poker rallied in October, but for sustained growth Governor Jack Markell will likely need to entice neighboring New Jersey to join an interstate compact to share player pools. (Image: Manuel Balce Ceneta/Associated Press)

Delaware online poker rebounded in November, poker rake and fee totaling $28,985 for the month, a 20.6 percent increase compared to October.

Internet poker in The First State went on life support last month after the market experienced its lowest revenues since its legalization in November 2013.

The summer months are traditionally a tough time for online gambling, and that was certainly the case for New Jersey, the only other state that publicly discloses Internet wagering statistics.

But like Delaware, the Garden State rebounded in November with its two online poker operators posting a 2.3 increase on October.

Winter is officially here, as are the shorter days, which means it’s time for Internet poker to step up its game.

October was the first sign that December, January, and February could prove profitable for state governments and players alike.

Poker Up, Lottery Down

Delaware’s Internet gambling report shows that overall financials for the industry dropped negligibly. Number of new registrations also decreased from 434 in October to 381 in November.

$182,664 was produced from online casinos in November, a miniscule $305 less than a month earlier. The culprit for the slight reduction was video lottery formats.

Poker and table games performed well, but video lottery plunged considerably. The $109,557 received in October fell to just $98,573, a 10 percent loss.

As opportunities for outside recreational activities diminish, players are expected to increasingly be enticed to return to the online casinos.

Rich Neighbor Moving In

Like a small piece of land that is suddenly surrounded by a thriving shopping and entertainment destination, Delaware’s online gaming environment could become more valuable once its forthcoming neighbor sets roots in New Jersey.

The arrival of PokerStars will without question bring a rejuvenated excitement to online poker and the Internet casino market as a whole. New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) granted the world’s most robust iPoker platform with a transactional waiver to operate on September 30.

The delayed PokerStars launch is the result of the site’s new owner, Amaya, resolving outstanding player balances stemming from 2011 and also adhering to the DGE’s demands of replacing certain leadership.

There is an undeniable buzz surrounding Internet poker as 2016 and PokerStars approaches, and while geo-location technology can effectively regulate a player depending on their locale, borders can’t constrain the market fervor.

Delaware already shares player liquidity with Nevada, the only other state with legal online poker. Numerous analysts hope New Jersey will be willing to finally enter interstate compacts in 2016 to create more active rooms in all three states.

New Jersey currently dominates the US iPoker rankings. According to PokerScout, the WSOP/888 merged network has 180 players on its most recent seven-day average, with Party Borgata adding an additional 130 for a state total off 300 players.

The WSOP Nevada and Delaware rooms average just 160 occupied seats.

DGE boss David Rebuck confirmed in September of 2014 that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R) has spoken with Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval (R) and Delaware Gov. Jack Markell (D) about a potential iGambling agreement.

“We will continue to have a dialogue,” Rebuck said.

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