The District of Columbia finally has a competitive sports betting market after two more operators launched their apps in the nation’s capital on Wednesday.
BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbook both took advantage of new rules passed by the D.C. Council last month as part of the annual budget package. The two companies have long had a presence in the district but were restricted to operating only in the surrounding area of the facilities of the professional sports teams that have partnered with them. Those two are now live along with Fanduel in the capital; all three also offer Virginia sportsbook apps.
“After three years of bringing unparalleled, omnichannel experiences to sports fans and supporting the D.C. metropolitan community through our partnership with the Washington Nationals, fans can now bet on their favorite teams with BetMGM across the District with our award-winning mobile app,” BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt said in a statement.
FanDuel Back After Brief Break
BetMGM and Caesars now join FanDuel, which itself only expanded its presence in the district earlier this year. FanDuel had taken over from Gambet DC, the initial online sports betting app that was run by Intralot for the D.C. Lottery. Despite having exclusive domain across D.C., Gambet failed to produce the results proponents claimed it would when councilmembers narrowly passed sports betting legalization in December 2018.
FanDuel needed to take down its D.C. sports betting app this week as the district awaited Mayor Muriel Bowser to sign the budget bill into law. However, it was back online as of Wednesday.
“Now the FY2025 DC Budget has been approved, FanDuel has resumed its sports betting offering as a Class A operator in partnership with D.C. United at Audi Field and our sports betting app and website is available to all District residents and visitors,” the Flutter Entertainment brand said in a statement.
By switching to the Class A license, FanDuel’s tax rate went from 40% to 30% of its monthly revenues.
D.C. was the first market for FanDuel to offer sports betting to 18-year-olds. It still was listed that way on FanDuel’s website on Thursday.
Both BetMGM and Caesars have retained their 21-year-old age limits. Virginia sports betting is limited to those 21 and older.
More DC Sportsbooks To Come?
All three operators now can take bets online across the district, but there are still some limitations. For starters, federally owned lands, such as the National Mall, remain off limits. In addition, each operator retains its exclusive rights surrounding its sports team partners’ facilities. For Caesars, that means it will still be the only app available in the two-block radius surrounding Capital One Arena, home to the NBA’s Washington Wizards and the NHL’s Washington Capitals.
“Expanding access to our mobile sports betting app across the district will only enhance their fan experience, and we look forward to deepening the connection we’ve established with them since our historic opening in 2021,” Caesars Digital President Eric Hession said.
The three operators might not be the only ones available across the district. DraftKings has indicated online that it is seeking access in the nation’s capital.
Messages to DraftKings and the D.C. Lottery were not immediately returned on Thursday.
BetVirginia.com offers coverage of wagering and the best Virginia sportsbook promo codes as well.
USA Today photo by Matt Krohn
