Delaware Considers Expanding Gambling Locations

But public opinion there is too early stage to determine whether the measure will prevail.

In the latest PublicMind Poll, researchers at Fairleigh Dickinson University found that 54 percent of Delawareans opposed more gambling locations or games, while 37 percent back the expansion of gambling, and eight percent said they were undecided. A total of 54 percent of Delaware residents were opposed to expanding gambling at this time, but, pollsters cautioned, the survey of  700 registered voters was taken between Oct. 3 and Oct. 9 and has an error rate of plus or minus 4 percentage points. That means public opinion is essentially evenly divided at this point there.

"These numbers are useful because they tell us we've got some public education ahead of us," said Rep. Vincent Lofink, R-Bear, a leading sports betting advocate. "But they aren't as useful as they might have been because you really can't tell if people are telling them they're more opposed to adding venues or games."
According to Laird Stabler, a lobbyist for pro sports leagues, it's hard to get a read on what people are actually thinking. "It would be more interesting to see whether the opposition is more focused on adding locations or on adding games," said Stabler.

Some advocates want to allow gambling at sites beyond the racetracks in Stanton, Dover and Harrington that now offer video slots games. But, others prefer adding either table games such as poker or some sort of sports bookmaking at existing locales.

"If you look back at the numbers from when we got the [slots] bill through, they were probably about the same, although you always got a 10 to 15 percent [positive] bump with people saying [slots were] OK, if you did it at an existing facility," said Robert Byrd, a lobbyist for Dover Downs.
A state-sponsored study group is exploring sports betting and is due to release its report in mid-December.

Gov. Ruth Ann Minner has promised to veto any bills adding either sports betting or new slot locations, but she is about to begin the last of eight years in office, and advocates of gaming can simply wait until her time expires, before presenting any new bill.

According to the pollsters, the most telling split on the issue was based on gender, with men split 45 percent to 45 percent on the gambling question and women opposing expansion 62 percent to 30 percent.
"This is by no means scientific, but when I go through the slots, I seem to see a lot of women playing. On the other hand, you don't walk through the office on Monday morning hearing women saying: 'Damn, I had the Raiders by 71¼2 on Sunday and they only won by 5,'" said Lofink.

Lottery profits are expected to bring in $262.8 million for the state during the current budget year, making it the state's fourth-biggest source of income. Most of that money comes from the state's take at Delaware's three racinos -- money that studies have shown could be threatened in a big way if Maryland starts its own slot machine casinos.

A study released earlier this year showed that sports betting could bring in at least $70 million a year in new money to the dreadful Delaware economy.

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