Delaware might be small and frequently overlooked by politicians collecting Electoral College votes, but gamblers just got a warm invitation from the First State to try their gambling luck without having to leave home to do it.

Delaware became the first state in the nation to permit its residents to play slots and roulette on their computers. Yes, that’s right, Delawareans will be able to lose vast amounts of money without ever having to brush their teeth or put on shoes.

How’s that for progress?

Delaware’s governor Jack Markell signed the Delaware Gaming Competitiveness Act last week that will permit online gambling in the state by 2013.

Estimates from the Department of Finance in Delaware say the new law could generate an additional $7.75 million for the state in 2013, on top of the $250 million the industry already generates in the state.

It also employs several thousand folks in the state and will make it more competitive with gambling operations in nearby Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Backers of the bill said online casino gambling would be a boon to help the tiny state compete with the casinos in those neighboring states.

Geo-location software used in the online gambling will be used to make sure that only people in Delaware will be able to participate.

Read more about the legislation here.

Tags: casino, Delaware, gambling, online, slots