There were some fits and starts, but Wednesday, BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbook took the geofences off their wagering platforms and are available on non-federal land throughout Washington, D.C. Both companies were ready to launch Monday, but Mayor Muriel Bowser had not signed the budget, which contains the new sports betting framework. She didn’t sign it Wednesday, either, instead sending it back to the DC Council. The move means the budget is in force, but that Bowser has issues with it.
BetMGM is tethered to Nationals Field and Caesars is tethered to Capital One Arena.
The DC Council in June approved the budget, which opens the sports betting marketplace. Prior to Wednesday, those in DC had only a single choice. For nearly four years, that choice was GamBetDC, which struggled from the start. The platform was operated by lottery contractor Intralot, which in March announced that it would subcontract sports betting to FanDuel. The biggest U.S. operator, FanDuel had a monopoly from April 15-July 15, when Intralot’s wagering contract with the DC Lottery expired. FanDuel remains available throughout DC, through its partnership with Audi Field.
