A federal appeals court in the United States today ruled that the state of Delaware can only offer parlay-style wagering on National Football League games, not the single-game wagering that the state was looking to operate
.
"While we are disappointed the decision does not provide the flexibility we had hoped for, Delaware is still the only state east of the Rocky Mountains that can offer a legal sports lottery on NFL football," Delaware Gov. Jack Markell was quoted as saying in response to the court's opinion.
"We continue to believe this is an opportunity to create jobs and generate revenue to help us keep teachers in the classroom, police on the street and maintain other core commitments of state government."
According to a report by The Philadelphia Inquirer, the three-judge panel of the Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals -- which initially ruled against the single-game wagering -- interpreted language that exempted Delaware from the 1992 federal ban as precluding any type of betting beyond what it had offered in a failed NFL lottery in 1976.
To read The Philadelphia Inquirer article in its entirety, click here.
(With files from The Philadelphia Inquirer)