Delaware has a well-established racino scene with poker included. Discover a top Delaware poker room with our guide to land-based gambling in The Diamond State.
Live poker in Delaware is restricted to state-licensed racinos. These offer a mix of horse racing, casino gaming, and poker, all under one roof.
Delaware Park racino houses the state’s only operating poker room. Operating daily from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m., the poker room offers an engaging experience for both seasoned and novice players.
The game selection is diverse, with offerings like $2/$2 Pot Limit Omaha (PLO) and $2/$5 No Limit Hold’em (NLHE). The variety of games caters to different player preferences and ensures an engaging experience for all.
What sets Delaware Park & Racing poker room apart is their rake-free cash games, offered twice a week. These rake-free sessions, available for both $2/$2 PLO and $2/$5 NLHE, are an exceptional feature, making the poker room a cost-effective choice for regular players.
A notable feature is their poker player rewards program. For every 15+ hours of play, you qualify for rewards. This unique system gives you $100 for every 15 hours of play, capping at a generous $500 cashback for 45+ hours. This incentive scheme is quite appealing, particularly for players who spend extended hours at the tables.
Delaware has three B&M casinos, all attached to existing racetracks. However, currently, there is just one place to play live poker in Delaware.
| Cardroom Name | Address | City | Phone Number |
| Delaware Park Casino & Racing | 777 Delaware Park Blvd, Wilmington, DE, 19804 | Wilmington | 1-302-355-1050 |
There is just one Delaware poker room currently running games. Ensure you are of the minimum gambling age before you visit.
| Cardroom Name | Games Offered | Number of Tables | Major Events |
| Delaware Park Casino & Racing | Limit Hold’em, No Limit Hold’em, Pot Limit Omaha, rake-free cash games, bad-beat jackpot | 25 | Various |
You can book a room for the night at one or two racinos in Delaware. However, their cardrooms are currently temporarily closed.
| Casino Name | Number of Rooms |
| Bally’s Dover Casino Resort | 500+ |
There are several places to play poker in neighboring states, such as Pennsylvania. Philadelphia offers the best live poker options for visiting players at casinos like Parx and Live! Philadelphia.
Parx Casino is perhaps the best option, with over 45 tables available. Live! Casino Philadelphia isn’t far behind on 29+ tables covering cash, tournaments, and special events. It’s a 90-minute drive from the Delaware border.
The tiny state of Delaware has had legal B&M casinos and race tracks for several decades. Three racinos mix horse racing and casino gambling. Sports betting is now legal in the state, as are online poker, daily fantasy sports, and casino games.
Gambling at the three racinos is overseen by the Delaware Lottery. You can play Delaware poker tournaments or cash games in person. As with most US gambling laws by state, the legal age for playing poker or betting live is 21.
Delaware was the first US state to legalize online poker in 2012. In doing so, DE was a pioneer in the landscape following the relaxation of UIGEA.
Previously, the Federal Wire Wager Act was seen as the overriding law governing the legality of online poker. However, the Department of Justice’s stance changed and individual states were given freedom to pass their own online gambling laws.
Though Delaware was first out of the traps by legalizing poker, its industry has barely grown since 2012. The state has signed a gaming compact with Nevada, New Jersey, and Michigan, however. That means licensed poker sites can pool their players in Delaware with those from other states.
Finally, charitable poker games are permitted in Delaware. You may apply for a special license from the Delaware Gaming Control Board to run charity games where a fee is not charged. Read our US state and federal gaming commission directory for more information.
Casinos at Delaware race tracks offer live games throughout the week. Live poker in Delaware covers Hold’em and Omaha, but Stud may be available during larger series.
Under Delaware gambling laws, all forms of poker are 100 percent legal. You must be 21 or over to play any games for real money.
In Texas Hold’em, you’re dealt two private cards at the start of a hand. Five community cards are dealt face-up during a typical hand. The aim is to combine your hole cards with the community cards to make the best poker hand. In cash games, you can leave anytime. In tournaments, you play until one player has all the chips.
You can play Pot Limit Omaha cash games at Delaware Park throughout the week. In PLO, you receive four hole cards, but you must use only two – plus three community cards – to make the best possible poker hand.
The top Delaware casinos run a limited selection of live poker options for players. Hold’em and Omaha are offered as standard, but mixed games, Stud, and Razz are uncommon.
Even the largest cardroom in Delaware runs a limited range of poker cash games. No Limit Hold’em is the most popular variant, and minimum stakes start at the $1/$2 level.
You can play weekly tournaments from around $60–$100 at Delaware poker rooms. Look out for high-hand jackpot and bad-beat jackpot promotions that run throughout the week.
All Delaware racinos run loyalty programs and cards that allow you to earn points as you play. You receive a player’s card when you first visit the racino. You may rack up points for every dollar of tournament fees and cash rake you spend.
Then, you have the option to cash in your card points for straight cash or a range of benefits, including:
In addition, the best Delaware poker room will run bad-beat jackpots and high-hand jackpots. Typically, you’ll need to have quads or better beaten by a higher hand to win the jackpot.
Delaware has some strict laws on home poker games. However, the rules for running social poker games are vague.
Under the current laws, Statute 1404 prohibits the “providing [of] premises for gambling”. You may be committing a Class A misdemeanor if you are found guilty of running for-profit games at home.
Delaware was the first US state to legalize online poker and casino games. The market is limited, but you can still access plenty of offshore gambling sites. Find out more by clicking on these links:
Some Delaware poker pros have been successful at the tables. These include Isaac Kempton, who has WPT and PokerGO Tour titles to his name:
Delaware regards any poker winnings as taxable income that must be declared on an annual tax return. Personal income tax may be as much as 6.6% in Delaware, and that’s in addition to any federal tax that you might owe on winnings. However, income tax is on a sliding scale depending on your circumstances.
You may be issued with a Form W-2G by the racino if you score big at the poker tables. The racino will withhold a portion of tax (usually 24%) for the IRS, and inform them of your win. You must also ensure you notify the IRS of your profit when you come to complete your return.
We also recommend that you keep detailed accounts of any losses you incur. You may be entitled to offset losses from your poker profits. Remember to practice responsible gambling at all times when you play poker.
You can read our online gambling tax guide for more information on how to declare taxes earned over the internet.
Yes. You can play poker for real money in Delaware at a licensed casino attached to one of the state’s racetracks. Delaware poker rooms offer a blend of games and tournaments for anyone aged 21 or over.
There are three B&M casinos in DE, but most of the cardrooms have been shut permanently since the COVID-19 pandemic. Delaware Park is currently the only operating live poker room in The Blue Hen State.
Just one of the state poker rooms currently offers Delaware cash games. You can also play tournaments at Delaware Park during the week. However, tournament schedules are erratic.
No. Smoking is banned in all Delaware casinos. This rule applies to racetracks in Delaware, such as the Harrington Raceway.
Absolutely. Delaware was the first US state to fully regulate online poker back in 2012. The three racinos in DE operate a different skin from the same operator – 888. However, you can also access offshore poker sites based overseas.
The Delaware State Lottery is responsible for regulating poker for tournament and cash game players. The Lottery ensures racinos conduct poker in a fair and safe environment. They also assist problem gamblers in the state.
Under Delaware law, you must be 21 or over to play poker in a brick-and-mortar cardroom. You may be asked to show a form of photo ID when entering any Delaware poker room.
Casual dress codes are enforced in Delaware casinos and cardrooms. However, some racinos impose an “upscale fashionable” dress code for anyone drinking in the indoor and outdoor bars.
No. Currently, the cardroom at Delaware Park Casino & Racing is the only poker room operating in the state. It’s open from 11 a.m. until 3 a.m. every day.
No. There are no Delaware poker room locations that run WSOP or WSOPC tournaments. That’s surprising given Delaware’s links to 888, one of the original official online partners of the World Series of Poker.
Social poker games are not covered by Delaware’s constitution. However, Statute 1404 explicitly bans anyone “providing premises for gambling”. It is considered a Class A misdemeanor.
Large poker wins in cash games or tournaments may be subject to personal income tax. You will be issued with a Form W-2G by the racino and you must inform the IRS of your gambling profits.
Yes. You can call the Delaware Gambling Helpline at 1-888-850-8888 or visit www.deproblemgambling.org if you need assistance. The phone line is available 24 hours, but MMS and live chat services are also available. The Delaware State Lottery also provides a self-exclusion program for players.
Delaware doesn’t have many famous poker players, but some pros have earned over $1m in prize money during their careers. Successful DE poker players include Isaac Kempton and Abraham Korotki.
Yes. Hold’em and mixed games are subject to rake, whether you’re playing cash or tournaments. The maximum rake on pots is displayed by the cardroom when you enter.
No. It’s not common to find freerolls being offered at any Delaware poker room. However, you can play freeroll tournaments online at poker sites that accept DE players.
Yes. You can compete for bad-beat jackpots or join a player rewards program. You receive tier points every time you gamble for real money. You can exchange points for dollars or discounts any time you like.
No. Currently, there are no plans to build any new racinos or cardrooms in Delaware. However, you can still enjoy Delaware cash games and tournaments at established cardrooms in The Blue Hen State.
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