Updated by Ziv Chen
Writer
Fact Checked by Lee James Gwilliam
Senior Vice-President
Delaware Park Casino Reviewed for 2026
Delaware Park has been part of the landscape of Delaware since 1937, when William du Pont Jr., of the prominent du Pont family, opened it as the state's first pari-mutuel racetrack. It is the only remaining thoroughbred horse racing track in Delaware, and racing has been at its heart for nearly nine decades.
The casino side arrived in December 1995 when Delaware became one of the first states to authorize video lottery terminals at its horse racing tracks, and Delaware Park has been the state's leading gaming revenue generator ever since.
The $10 million renovation completed in January 2024 brought a fresh floor, new slot titles, an upscale high-limit table game pit, new dining concepts, and 24-hour slot operations. The 10,000 square foot outdoor smoking gaming patio that followed in October 2025 added another dimension.
What you get today is an 80,000 square foot casino floor on two levels, over 1,900 VLTs, more than 40 table games, a 25-table poker room, a second-floor sportsbook, 11 dining and bar options, an on-site brewery, and a thoroughbred racing season that runs from May through October with some of the most prestigious stakes races on the East Coast.
There is one important thing to know going in: Delaware Park has no hotel on site. It is purely a gaming and entertainment destination, not a resort. We’ll get more into that later.
Getting There
Despite the Wilmington address the property technically sits in Stanton, just south of the city limits, minutes from the Delaware Memorial Bridge and right off I-95. From downtown Wilmington it's about 10 minutes. From Philadelphia it's around 25 minutes. From Baltimore it's about an hour north on I-95. From Washington DC it's roughly an hour and forty-five minutes.
In fact, the I-95 position makes Delaware Park one of the most conveniently located gaming facilities in the entire Mid-Atlantic corridor.
Free parking is available on site. An Amtrak rail station, Fairplay Station, sits on the Delaware Park property, and DART buses serving New Castle County also stop at the property, giving it useful public transport access that most casino properties lack entirely.
Casino Review
The 80,000 square foot casino floor at Delaware Park is spread across two levels and has been significantly refreshed since the 2024 renovation. The main floor runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The second floor operates more limited hours Monday through Wednesday and extended hours Thursday through Sunday.
Like all three Delaware casinos, the gaming machines at Delaware Park are Video Lottery Terminals operated through the Delaware Lottery's central system. They look and play like conventional slots, but function under state lottery regulation, which is the arrangement that has allowed Delaware to have casino gaming without passing specific casino legislation.
Delaware's Clean Indoor Air Act now prohibits indoor smoking at the casino, but the new 10,000 square foot outdoor smoking patio opened in October 2025 accommodates guests who smoke while providing one of the largest outdoor gaming spaces in the region.
The 2024 renovation also transformed the visual character of the floor. Dark carpeting was replaced with more contemporary interiors, older VLT banks were swapped for newer cabinets, and a dedicated Link Lounge housing 49 AristocratGaming titles including Buffalo Link, Dragon Link, Lightning Link, and Lightning Dollar Link opened as a defined destination within the floor.
A new high-limit slot room was also created.
Table Games
Over 40 live table games run 24 hours a day, which is a significant upgrade from the more limited hours the table game pit previously operated. I mean, they don’t all run at the same time, but you get the idea. The renovation added a new upscale baccarat and blackjack pit alongside the existing table game area too, which is a lovely addition.
The table game selection is extensive for a property of this type, including:
- Blackjack
- Spanish 21
- Craps
- Roulette
- Three Card Poker
- Cajun Stud Progressive
- Heads Up Hold'em
- Let It Ride
- Pai Gow (Fortune)
- Four Card Poker
- Five Card Poker
The 25-table poker room on the second floor runs cash games across multiple formats including Texas Hold'em and Omaha, weekly tournaments, and select high hand promotion days.
It definitely seems to be one of the more active poker rooms in the region and draws a dedicated regular following. For visitors from Philadelphia in particular, Delaware Park's poker room offers a more accessible alternative to the Atlantic City options at a fraction of the drive time.
Slots
Over 2,000 VLTs (remember: slots but not slots) span the casino floor, which is a number comparable to many of Las Vegas’ flagship properties. Popular titles, such as Dragon Link, Huff N Puff, and Wheel of Fortune are well represented, despite the whole VLT thing. See, I told you it didn’t really make a difference.
Free coffee and soft drinks are available to players on the casino floor, but you’ll have to pay for any alcohol you’d like.
Sportsbook and Racetrack
Over 1,900 VLTs cover the two-level casino floor. The Link Lounge is the showpiece of the renovation, with popular Aristocrat titles including Dollar Storm, Dragon Link, Lightning Link, and Spooky Link among the featured games.
The high-limit room offers premium titles in a more intimate setting, but it will cost you bigger bets.
Sportsbook and Racetrack
The Moneyline Sports Bar and Lounge on the second floor handles sports betting in a dedicated environment with a massive video wall of over 30 high-definition TVs. Betting covers all major professional and college sports with the standard Delaware exclusion of in-state college teams.
The horse racing at Delaware Park is genuinely one of the most significant aspects of the whole operation. The live thoroughbred season runs from May through October with post time typically at 1:15pm. The track is the only remaining thoroughbred racing venue in Delaware, and it hosts two Grade 1 and 2 stakes races that draw serious attention from across the sport: the Delaware Handicap and the Delaware Oaks. Five Grade 3 meets also take place during the season.
The open-air paddock is one of the most loved aspects of the racing experience, giving spectators close access to the pre-race action and the opportunity to see the horses up close before they head to the track.
Simulcast wagering at Delaware Park also covers over 40 live races broadcast daily from tracks around the country.
Rewards Club
The Player Rewards Club is free to join and earns points on all tracked VLT and table game play. Points are redeemable for slot dollars (freeplay), free bets in the sportsbook, and dining credits across the property.
New members receive $50 in free play on sign-up, split between slot dollars or a free bet, whichever the member prefers. The club runs regular promotions including point multiplier days for players over 55, seasonal drawings, and gift auctions.
Points may expire with account inactivity so regular use is needed to keep the balance active. That means it would not be a great program for infrequent visitors to join, but if that’s you, then just take the $50 freeplay and run, I say.
Hotel Review
There is no hotel at Delaware Park. The property is a standalone casino and racing destination without on-site accommodation. Several hotels sit within a few miles, with the Hilton Wilmington Christiana being the most frequently recommended by the casino itself. Or, it certainly was when I was asking the staff.
I think it’s always a shame when a great casino has no hotel as, for me, sauntering from casino to hotel room and back again is all part of the fun. I was, therefore, a bit disappointed you couldn’t do that at Delaware Park. Well, not unless you love sauntering to your hotel room so much you’re willing to saunter a couple of miles.
Where to Eat
Delaware Park's dining offerings expanded and improved significantly through the 2024 renovation, with new concepts added alongside updated versions of existing restaurants. It now boasts 11 dining and bar options across the property covering most situations from pre-race lunch to late-night after the sportsbook closes.
| Restaurant | Type | General Price |
|---|---|---|
| High Steaks Brewery | Upscale restaurant and first-class craft brewery, signature menu | $$$ |
| Del Cap Bar and Grill | Casual American, sports bar atmosphere | $ |
| Foo Noodle | Pan-Asian quick service, pho, banh mi, stir fry, Beijing chicken | $ |
| Moneyline Sports Bar | Sports bar, game-day menu, drinks | $ |
| Picciotti's | Italian-inspired, casual dining | $$ |
| The Cove | Seafood-leaning casual dining | $$ |
| Rooney's | American grill, breakfast available, updated with new equipment and menu | $$ |
| On a Roll Deli | Quick service sandwiches, deli fare | $ |
| R Bar | Upscale bar adjacent to high limit slot room | $ |
| The Grove / Terrace Dining | Seasonal outdoor dining, trackside atmosphere | $ |
High Steaks Brewery is the standout of the dining program and the reservation-worthy option for a proper meal. The combination of a solid steak and grill menu with an on-site craft brewery, the first at any Delaware casino, gives it a genuine identity.
Foo Noodle is the most interesting of the newer additions in my opinion, sitting adjacent to the high-limit table game pit and offering a different dining option to what casino floors typically provide. It’s kind of hard to explain, so we’ll just call it pan-Asian.
Rooney's was the long-running staple of the property and has been updated with new equipment and a refreshed menu including the Brisket Cheesesteak. I didn’t try it myself, but I almost lost count of the amount of staff who recommended I did. Maybe they are on commission.
Pool and Spa
There is no pool or spa at Delaware Park. The property is a gaming and racing destination rather than a resort and does not offer those amenities. For guests looking at nearby hotels, the Hilton Christiana has an indoor pool.
Entertainment
Delaware Park does not have a dedicated concert or entertainment venue in the way that Bally's Dover does with the Rollins Center. The entertainment here is largely built around the gaming and racing experience itself, with the sportsbook serving as the live entertainment hub for sporting events.
The thoroughbred racing season from May through October is the property's most compelling entertainment offering and one that cannot be replicated at any other gaming venue in the state.
The Delaware Handicap and Delaware Oaks are events that draw serious racing fans from across the region, and the open paddock access gives the whole experience a connection to the sport that enclosed grandstand operations don't provide.
Verdict
Delaware Park is the state's top-grossing casino and the most comprehensive gaming operation in Delaware when you factor in the full breadth of what it offers: VLTs, table games, a serious poker room, an active sportsbook, and one of the most prestigious thoroughbred racing programs on the East Coast. The 2024 renovation gave it a proper refresh and the new High Steaks Brewery and Foo Noodle concepts improved a dining program that needed the work.
For some, though, it could just as easily be defined by what it doesn't offer: a hotel, a spa, a dedicated concert venue. That means visitors looking for a full resort experience will need to complement their visit with accommodation and entertainment from elsewhere.
However, for a day trip or an afternoon at the races followed by an evening at the tables, Delaware Park is one of the most complete gaming and racing experiences in the entire Mid-Atlantic corridor.
Awards
Meet The Author
Experience
Ziv Chen has been working in the online gambling industry for over two decades in senior marketing and business development roles. Ziv writes about a wide range of topics including slot and table games, casino and sportsbook reviews, American sports news, betting odds and game predictions. Leading a life full of conflict, Ziv constantly struggles between his two greatest loves: American football and US soccer.
Read Full BioDisclosure
Test Your Luck
Not Your Spam Filter
Sign up to receive emails and promotions from Casinos.com
