Legal maneuvering continues in Delaware sports betting case

The State of Delaware and sports leagues are sparring over what’s next in the lawsuit aimed at stopping single game sports betting in Delaware.

The State of Delaware and sports leagues are sparring over what’s next in the lawsuit aimed at stopping single game sports betting in Delaware.

Earlier this week, lawyers for the NFL, three other pro leagues and the NCAA filed a motion in the Third Circuit Court of Appeal in Philadelphia asking to expedite their appeal of last week’s District Court decision denying a preliminary injunction to prevent Delaware from starting to take single game bets as planned September first.

Wednesday, the leagues filed an additional motion, asking the Third Circuit to issue an injunction to halt Delaware’s single game plan, if it is unable to expedite hearing their appeal. In the motion, the plaintiffs say they are making the request “solely that there may be some consideration of the merits of Plaintiffs statutory claim” before Delaware begins to take bets. The leagues argue that Delaware’s plan to take single game bets violates the Federal Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act.

Lawyers for Delaware countered with a motion to dismiss the appeal, arguing the leagues “have not shown exceptional circumstances justifying an expedited appeal” and adding that dismissal is warranted because they “cannot show that Delaware’s sports lottery will have serious consequences” or “that immediate appeal is their only means of effective challenge.”

The leagues’ lawsuit against Delaware is slated to begin December 7th in U.S. District Court in Wilmington.