Delaware blackjack
Delaware blackjack

Casinos in Delaware have answered to their competitors in Pennsylvania and Maryland with the introduction of blackjack and other table games.

Although there is a demand for blackjack card games, their introduction in Delaware’s casinos did not yield the necessary result in the early stages, putting only $22 million in the state’s pocket instead of the forecasted $29 million. Costs arose not only from hiring staff for table games (dealers, supervisors and other support employees), but also from promotions, uniforms and other areas.

Apart from licensing fees, the state gets 29.4% of casino’s income from blackjack and other table games, but according to Delaware Senate President Tony DeLuca, a new deal on licensing fees is not coming in near future. The income from casino games including blackjack is steady, and casinos are still making money, so the state does not see any way to cut fees.

Overall, the casino’s revenue picture looks bright. An estimated $281 million in state revenue for the 2011 fiscal year will topple projections in the state budget, proving that the introduction of table games is a good casino strategy. Despite bringing only $7.4 million versus $81.6 million from slots (through October 31, 1/3 of fiscal year), blackjack and other table game revenue is slowly but surely becoming an important source of income for casinos and state in Delaware, and at the same time creates new jobs in a slow economy.