From early bookmaking to today’s digital platforms, The Capital’s journey has shown an immense evolution. The district has undergone significant regulatory changes and market shifts, especially with FanDuel’s rise as a dominant force in 2024, signaling a completely new era for people in the capital.
DC sports betting background
The district does not have a long record in wagering due to the lack of legislative push before the PASPA annulation. While the other US authorities have had busy years getting an advance, the capital had not passed any DC sports betting law since the 1908 ban on horse racing in the district by Congress. The capital also did not pass a Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) regulation, which was considered game of the skills and thus exempt from the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA).
2018: Legalizing wagering: The path after PASPA
In May 2018, the US Supreme Court deemed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) unconstitutional. This allowed each American state to regulate its own betting market, also putting an end to Nevada’s monopolistic influence on gambling in the USA.
Not long after that, the district introduced bill B22-0944 to create a possible framework for legal wagering. The bill, also known as the Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act, would allow retail and online gambling of this type in the district. The DC Lottery became the regulatory and licensing body for mobile gambling. After three bill amendments, in December 2018 the SWLAA reached Mayor Muriel Bowser, which would help legalize sports betting in DC in early 2019.
The signing of the Sports Wagering Amendment Act in 2019
Bowser signed off on Bill B22-0944 in January 2019 as expected, which prepared the landscape for legal wagering to be launched in the capital. But, unlike other US areas, bills in Federal city must be submitted to the US Congress prior to being confirmed as laws. This procedure was completed in May 2019, and this is how DC’s legal sports betting industry began existence. Two months later, the Office of Lottery and Gaming finalized the local rules and regulations, making legal wagering reality.
2020 – The first bookmaker GambetDC open doors
Wagering has been lawful since 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic obstructed the first site’s launch for an entire year. On May 29, 2020, the district had its first-ever online sportsbook GambetDC opened to the public, but it was left disappointed by the operator’s incredibly poor odds. Operated by the Office of Lottery and Gaming, it also launched its online sportsbook app accessible anywhere within the jurisdiction.
2021: Other big players enter the scene
On May 26, 2021, Caesars launched its retail sportsbook at the Capital One Arena, becoming the first commercial bookmaker in the district. Players can only access it online within two blocks of its retail location. After William Hill/Caesars landed its mobile app in the capital, in June 2021, BetMGM made its move launching its geo-restricted mobile app and retail sportsbook at Nationals Park. GambetDC had to compete against two industry giants, which wasn’t successful.
The other company that made its debut, opening its Class B ‘Grand Central Sportsbook’ on October 5, 2021, was Grand Central Restaurant and Bar. It ran two betting kiosks and a staffed wagering window.
2022: FanDuel launches its first retail sportsbook in DC
On July 8, 2022, FanDuel Sportsbook positioned itself in the district of Columbia with a brand-new retail location at Audi Field. This was an important event, namely the first time a bookmaker opened in a Major League Soccer (MLS) stadium (Audi Field) in the USA. Although FanDuel had a geofenced mobile app at the time, the company chose a retail-only approach, with no set timetable for a mobile launch.
2022 was also the year when Caesars revealed that they will replace their ‘Caesars by William Hill’ platform with an updated Caesars app for sports betting, after having acquired and rebranded William Hill in 2021. In 2023, DC lawmakers nullified a ruling that had ensured guaranteed funding for gambling problem initiatives, met with angst from responsible gambling organizations.