Delaware Gaming Control Board and Best CGCB Casinos

How Does the Delaware Gaming Control Board Work?

The Delaware Gaming Control Board regulates all gambling activity in Delaware, which includes casino gaming and sports betting, both in person and online, and different types of lottery games.

Any casino or sportsbook that wants to operate in the state needs to have received a gaming license from the Delaware State Lottery Office. 

In addition to licensing, the Lottery’s stated mission regarding online gambling is:

• To maximize gaming revenue generated for the state’s General Fund. 

• To ensure all games are operated in compliance with legislation, internal control requirements and state rules and regulations - effectively ensuring the slots and table games are fair.

The role of the Delaware Division of Gaming Enforcement is to support the Lottery in its duties, as well as exercise legal action against any criminal activity related to gaming in the state, and exclude undesirable players from the industry.  

The DGE undertakes background checks on all employees who wish to working in the gambling industry on behalf of the Lottery. It also supplies support to the Lottery in the consideration and application of its rules and regulations. 

Protecting the Players' Money

The Lottery closely monitors and regulates how players’ funds are held at online casinos in the state.

For one, no player will be permitted to deposit funds at a licensed casino or sportsbook without registering to become an “authorized player”. This involves having your age and identity fully verified, and includes the requirement to submit personal information including your Social Security Number.  

All player accounts are to be treated separately, and no player can be permitted to deposit funds into another user's account or transfer funds between accounts held with different casinos or sportsbooks. 

Funds may only be deposited or withdrawn via an approved payment mechanism, like a credit card or bank transfer for example. It means that you’ll never have to use an obscure payment method that puts your funds at risk, as is the case at some offshore casinos.

Applying for a Delaware GCB License

There are two steps to applying for a gaming license in Delaware. First, the initial application along with supporting information about the activity you wish to carry out is submitted to the Delaware State Lottery. 

A number of factors are taken into consideration before awarding a license, including the business acumen of the application, the past conduct of the company, financial and tax history and more. 

The Lottery processes the application and forwards the necessary info to the Delaware Division of Gaming Enforcement, to undertake background checks on all employees of the prospective licensee. All employees who are going to be working in the gaming industry are required to undergo this process. 

The DGE is part of the Secretary of Safety and Homeland Security and includes representatives from the Delaware police department.

If the staff pass the screening process and the DGE approves the supporting information of the application, a gaming license is finally awarded by the Lottery Office. 

Complaints Procedure via the Delaware Gaming Control Board

Complaints are dealt with by the Delaware State Lottery Office. 

The Lottery obligates all licensees to provide an appropriate mechanism to resolve customer complaints and disputes. In the case of online casinos and sportsbook, this refers to a page on the website, normally in the Help section or Contact section. 

If the complaint cannot be resolved between the player and the licensee, the Lottery will initiate a full investigation. 

The Lottery first reaches a preliminary determination in the matter, and informs both parties in written communication, as well as asking both to confirm they accept the decision. If both the player and the casino accept the decision, the matter is considered closed. 

If one or both parties reject the decision, they are invited to provide a full written explanation of the issue within ten days, including any relevant evidence, and a hearing is scheduled. 

A hearing officer prepares a final decision on the complaint not longer than 45 days after the hearing.

How to Find a Safe Delaware GCB Casino Online

In addition to legal licensed casinos available in Delaware, there are offshore sites that are happy to accept players from the Diamond State. 

However, using these sites should always be considered a risk and we don’t recommend choosing them. That’s because, since they are hosted offshore, they are not subject to the same rules and regulations as licensed sites, so you have no protection if something goes awry. 

Choosing an offshore site means you lose all the benefits and peace of mind provided by the Delaware Gaming Control Board: having your funds protected, a mechanism to resolve complaints, guarantees about the fairness of the games and more.

If you want to play at a safe casino in Delaware, you should only choose sites that have received a license from the Delaware GCB. 

The three land based casinos in Delaware - Delaware Park, Bally’s Dover and Harrington - have all received internet gaming licenses to offer their casino games online. 

Read the Player Reviews

Player reviews are the perfect way to take the temperature of the gambling industry in a state, and get a sense of which online casino is right for you. This is especially true when there are multiple licensed and regulated options in the state. 

The best place to hear directly from Consumers is the Google Play Store or the App Store, where you’ll find mobile apps available for all the casinos in Delaware.

App stores make a lot of sense as a point of research because the model is naturally built on reviews and consumer feedback. You’ll soon find out if a casino has any glaring weak points, and also what players are enjoying the most about the platform.

Bally’s and Harrington are currently the highest-rated mobile casinos in the state, with 4.4/5 on the App Store. On the Google Play Store, the top-rated casino is Delaware Park, with 3.8/5.

If you check out the reviews, you’ll also find useful info and tips for how to claim your bonuses and make the most out of promotions in the casinos.

Check the Terms and Conditions

The Delaware GCB requires all licensees to adopt Minimum Internal Control Standards for everything from the safeguarding of assets and revenue to the fairness of the games, as well as how bonuses and promotions are advertised and conducted.

That said, it’s still the responsibility of the players to understand how the casino works and how their own actions affect how they play. 

The casino has rules, terms and conditions regarding every aspect of the site. For one thing, you need to be physically located in Delaware in order to legally gamble. Deposit and withdrawal methods are independently regulated by the Delaware GCB, but they also come with minimum and maximum transaction limits, processing times and more. 

This is especially important when it comes to claiming gaming bonuses and promotions. Carefully reading the terms and conditions - like wagering requirements - in this case, is essential, both in terms of how you opt into the promo and what steps you need to take to clear any bonus cash you receive. 

Responsible Gambling Under the Delaware GCB License

Both the Delaware Lottery and the Delaware Division of Gaming Enforcement take various steps to promote responsible gambling and protect vulnerable players.

You’ll find sections on both of the respective websites dedicated to responsible gambling, including links to contact the Delaware Council on Gambling Problems Helpline on 1-888-850-8888. The helpline is totally free, open 24/7 and can also provide advice if you suspect a friend or family member has issues with gambling. 

You’ll find links to other similar agencies too. 

The Lottery also runs a self-exclusion program, where you can voluntarily ban yourself from all wagering activity in the state. You’ll find a phone number and a form to request exclusion on the Lottery website, but the final step needs to be undertaken in person in the Lottery office. 

My Opinion on the Delaware GCB License

We are very much in support of the Delaware GCB, and all the work they do to promote safe, fair and responsible gambling in the state of Delaware.

Knowing that your online gambling activity is independently monitored for fairness is a gamechanger. Your money is protected, and the games you play have been externally tested so you can trust that they’re fair. 

We’re also fans of the Lottery and the Delaware Division of Gaming Enforcement websites, both of which do a great job at transparently sharing the work they do around gambling in the state.

Choosing a casino that is licensed by the Delaware GCB means choosing a safe environment to play online in the Diamond State. 

Delaware GCB Casinos Frequently Asked Questions