Court Orders Quick Hearing in Delaware Sports Betting Case

An appeals court granted the request of US sports associations suing Delaware by setting an expedited hearing for the case against the state's sports betting program.

The US Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Friday that an expedited hearing should be held in the lawsuit pursued by the US sports leagues against Delaware's lottery sports betting. The court has not granted an injunction preventing Delaware from instituting its new gambling plan, but did decide a hearing could be scheduled August 24th, before football season begins in September.

"The court made clear it wants to move quickly to resolve these issues, which is fine," stated a spokesman for Delaware Gov. Jack Markell. "We look forward to our day in court."

Three judges will hear arguments that Delaware is violating its exemption from the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, which allows Delaware to reinstitute its dormant sports betting program without breaking the federal law against sports gambling. The leagues say single game betting is not close enough to the parlay betting previously employed to qualify.

League attorneys also contend the Delaware constitution forbids the lottery to operate games of skill. League officials say single game betting is skill rather than chance, news to the millions of regular sports gamblers across the US.

Delaware officials continue to ready the lottery to add sports betting by the beginning of September, when football season brings the bulk of yearly sports wagering.