Delta’s Billion Dollar Bet: Airline Surveys Passengers About Bringing Sports Gambling Onboard

Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian announced a partnership with DraftKings at his CES speech in Las Vegas back in January. Since inflight gambling is illegal, I assumed this would mean earn Deltaing SkyMiles for sports betting through DraftKings. After all, you can earn Marriott points with BetMGM already today.

However Bastian actually said that they would integrate DraftKings into their inflight entertainment system.

From fantasy sports to online adventures, gaming has become part of the daily lives of millions of our customers. And you shouldn’t have to hit pause just because you’re in the sky.

When the partnership was announced, word is that the contract hadn’t actually been signed with DraftKings and details of what it would mean hadn’t been fully fleshed out. Maybe it hadn’t even made it to legal yet? Well, it looks like Delta is finally doing some work to figure things out.

A new Delta survey asks whether customers want "exclusive access to sports gambling (sportsbook) opportunities” as something to "trial or explore on your personal device through Delta’s Wi-Fi portal?”

Gambling On U.S. Airlines Is Illegal

Under the Gambling Devices Act of 1962 (also known as the Johnson Act, 15 USC 1171) gambling is illegal on US commercial aircraft. Gambling is legal in airports if it’s legal in the jurisdiction where the airport sits. The Las Vegas airport has generated over $1 billion in gambling revenue.

Foreign Airlines Used To Offer Inflight Gambling

For 32 years it was legal for foreign airlines flying to and from the U.S. to offer inflight gambling while U.S. carriers couldn’t do it. Some airlines experimented with it.

https://viewfromthewing.com/deltas-billion-dollar-bet-airline-surveys-passengers-about-bringing-sports-gambling-onboard/