DC Sports Betting

Five sportsbooks are licensed to take bets anywhere inside the District. All five are national apps, and all five appear in the Office of Lottery and Gaming’s monthly revenue reports, the only complete list available.

Sportsbook	Current Promotion
Fanatics	Get Up To $1000 Matched in FanCash! OR Bet $20, Get $350 in FanCash!
BetMGM	Get Up To $1,000 In No Sweat Tokens Over 10 Days Promotion! OR Get up to $1,500 Back in Bonus Bets if Your First Bet Doesn't Win!
FanDuel Sportsbook	Get $350 in Bonus Bets!
DraftKings	Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets!
Caesars Sportsbook	Bet $1+, Double Your Winnings Your Next 10 Wagers!
theScore Bet	Bet $10, Get $100 in Bonus Bets If You Win!

Two apps that competitor pages still list are gone. GambetDC closed in April 2024. theScore Bet, the rebranded successor to ESPN BET, ceased operations in the District on February 23, 2026; the OLG’s July 2026 report shows PENN Sports Interactive with no activity for the month against $6.6 million of handle earlier in the fiscal year. If a page tells you theScore Bet, ESPN BET or GambetDC is available in D.C., it has not been checked this year.

bet365 and Hard Rock Bet are not licensed in the District. Both operate in Virginia. That matters more than it sounds, and the cross-border section below explains why.

Fanatics Sportsbook DC

As of September 2024, Fanatics Sportsbook is live in DC! The sports retail giant continues to expand its reach, now with a variety of great promotions for DC sports bettors. 

Fanatics DC Bonus

1) Get Up To $1000 Matched in FanCash!

2) Bet $20, Get $350 in FanCash!

Fanatics Bonus Code

ACTION26

Action Network Score

9.7/10. See our Fanatics Sportsbook Promo Code review for more in-depth information and step-by-step instructions on how to sign up.

Category	Star Rating
Bonuses & Promotions
Mobile App & Website
Registering & Cashiering
Betting Options
Fanatics Sportsbook vs Other Sportsbooks

Fanatics Terms & Conditions

1) New customers in AZ, CO, CT, DC, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MO, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT, WV, WY. Apply promotion in bet slip and place a $1+ cash wager (min odds -200) daily for 10 consecutive days starting day of account creation. FanCash rewards will equal the qualifying wager amount (max $100 FanCash/day). FanCash issued under this promotion expires at 11:59 p.m. ET 7 days from issuance. Terms, incl. FanCash terms, apply—see Fanatics Sportsbook app.

2) New customers in AZ, CO, CT, DC, IA, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MO, NC, NJ, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT, WV, WY. Must toggle on this promotion in your bet slip and wager $20+ cash on any market (min. odds -500) within 7 days of account opening to receive $50 in FanCash each day for your first 7 days. Must opt in each day to claim FanCash. FanCash issued in connection with this Promotion expire 24 hours from issuance. Terms apply-see Fanatics Sportsbook app.

BetMGM Sportsbook

BetMGM's mobile app is finally available throughout D.C. as of July 2024. Redeem one of the welcome offers below today!

BetMGM Bonus

1) Get Up To $1,000 In No Sweat Tokens Over 10 Days Promotion!

2) Get up to $1,500 Back in Bonus Bets if Your First Bet Doesn't Win!

BetMGM Bonus Code

1) TANGET

2) AN1500

Action Network Score

9.6/10. See our BetMGM Bonus Code and review for more in-depth information about BetMGM and step-by-step instructions on how to sign up.

Category	Star Rating
Bonuses & Promotions
Mobile App & Website
Registering & Cashiering
Betting Options
BetMGM vs Other Sportsbooks

_{1) 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET, 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), 1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA). Please Gamble Responsibly. Visit BetMGM.com for Terms & Conditions. New player offer for new players only. Subject to eligibility requirements. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. This promotional offer is not available in NJ, MA, MI, NV, NY, ON, PA, PR, and WV.}

_{2) 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET. AZ, CO, DC, IA, IL, IN, LA, KS, KY, MA, MD, NC, OH, TN, VA, WY. Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Call 1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). Please Gamble Responsibly. Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-470 (KS, NV), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA). First Bet Offer for new customers only (if applicable). Subject to eligibility requirements. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. This promotional offer is not available in MA, MS, NY, NV, ON, PR, MI, NJ, PA, or WV. Visit BetMGM.com for Terms & Conditions.}

FanDuel Sportsbook

FanDuel D.C. was the first online sportsbook to become accessible throughout the district. The sportsbook will be readily available both on its mobile app and at Audi Field after replacing GambetDC.

FanDuel Promo 

Get $350 in Bonus Bets! 

 

FanDuel Promo Code

No promo code required

Action Network Score

9.5/10. See our FanDuel Promo Code and review for more in-depth information about FanDuel and step-by-step instructions on how to sign up.

Category	Star Rating
Bonuses & Promotions
Mobile App & Website
Registering & Cashiering
Betting Options
FanDuel vs Other Sportsbooks

Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET. Call 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT). Hope is here. GamblingHelpLineMA.org or call (800) 327-5050 for 24/7 support (MA). Visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD). Call 1-877-8HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 21+ (18+ D.C., WY) and present in select states (for KS, in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino). First online real money wager only. Min $5 wager required for 7 consecutive days. $5 first deposit required. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable bonus bets which expire 7 days after receipt. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Call 1-877-770-7867 (LA).

DraftKings Sportsbook 

DraftKings has officially launched in DC! 

🚀 DraftKings Offer

Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets!

GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET, (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org (MA). Please Gamble Responsibly. 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), or visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). 21+ and present in most states. (18+ DC/NH/PR/WY). Void in CAN. Eligibility restrictions apply. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino (KS). Pass-thru of per wager tax may apply in IL. 1 per new DraftKings customer. $5+ first-time bet req. Max. $200 issued as non-withdrawable Bonus Bets. Stake removed from payout. Reward issued as $50 in Bonus Bets every 7 days via click-to-claim for 21 days. Bonus Bets and click-to-claims expire 7 days (168hrs) after issuance. Terms: sportsbook.draftkings.com/promos. Ends 9/20/26 at 11:59 PM ET. Sponsored by DK.

DraftKings DC Promo Code

No code needed!

Action Network Score

9.2/10. See our full DraftKings Promo Code and review for more details on the national platform, which will likely apply when it launches in DC.

Category	Star Rating
Bonuses & Promotions
Mobile App & Website
Registering & Cashiering
Betting Options
Caesars vs Other Sportsbooks

Caesars Sportsbook

New users can now use the Caesars Sportsbook mobile app anywhere in D.C.!

Caesars Sportsbook Promo

Bet $1+, Double Your Winnings Your Next 10 Wagers!

Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code

ACTION22DYW

Must be 21+ and physically present in AZ, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MO, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, or Washington, DC. New users only. Must register using eligible promo code. Min. qualifying bet amount: $1. Tokens max. bet amount: $25 per token. Tokens bet max. add'l winnings: $2,500 per token. Token(s) expire 14 days after receipt. Not reissued for voided/pushed bets. Void where prohibited. See Caesars.com/promos for full terms. Know When To Stop Before You Start®. Gambling Problem? CO, IL, KY, MD, MI, MO, NJ, TN, VA, WV, WY, KS, ME, NC, PA: If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER ( 1-800-426-2537 ) or MD: visit mdgamblinghelp.org or WV: visit 1800gambler.net; AZ: Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP; IN: Call 1-800-9-WITH-IT; IA: Call 1-800-BETSOFF; LA, Washington, DC: Call 1-800-MY-RESET. ©2026, Caesars Entertainment

Action Network Score

9.4/10. See our Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code for more in-depth information about Caesars and step-by-step instructions on how to sign up.

Category	Star Rating
Bonuses & Promotions
Mobile App & Website
Registering & Cashiering
Betting Options
Caesars vs Other Sportsbooks

theScore Bet

theScore Bet entered the U.S. market on December 1, 2025, taking over the former ESPN BET platform as part of PENN’s rebranding. 

theScore Bet Promo Code

Bet $10, Get $100 in Bonus Bets If You Win!

theScore Bet Bonus Code 

TANBONUS 

Terms and Conditions

New users only, 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Must be physically present in MI, NJ, PA, WV in order to wager. Players must sign up using a specified Promotion code and then place an Eligible Wager on an Eligible Game during the Promotion Period. Bonus Bets will be credited if your bet wins. Please Gamble Responsibly.

Action Network Score

9.4/10. See our theScore Bet Promo Code and review for more in-depth information about theScore Bet and step-by-step instructions on how to sign up.

Category	Star Rating
Bonuses & Promotions
Mobile App & Website
Registering & Cashiering
Betting Options
theScore Bet vs Other Sportsbooks

Prediction markets, DFS and sweepstakes in D.C.

These are three different products with different legal rules, and mixing them up can lead people to unintended situations. Prediction markets like Kalshi are not the same as sports betting. The CFTC regulates them, and they're available in all states, including places with no legal sportsbooks. Courts are divided on whether gambling laws apply. 

For example, in 2026, some courts said these markets are like swaps and not subject to state gambling laws, while others disagreed. The federal agency is challenging this in some states, but the District of Columbia has not taken enforcement actions.

For residents, the key thing is that prediction markets are not covered by the protections offered to licensed sportsbooks. If you’ve self-excluded from gambling through the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), that doesn't stop you from participating in prediction markets, nor does it affect their tax rules. Daily fantasy sports are legal in the District, but some types have been restricted or banned in other states.

Sweepstakes casinos are unlicensed and not regulated, and a bill is pending to ban them in the District. If you face issues with such sites, there’s no local authority to help, unlike with licensed sportsbooks.

Operator	Current Promotion
Polymarket D.C.	Deposit $10, Get a $50 Trading Bonus!
Kalshi D.C.	Trade $25, Get $25!
Novig	Deposit $10, Get $25 in Trade Credits!
Underdog D.C.	Play $5, Get $50 in Bonus Entries!
ProphetX	Trade $50, Get $75!
Betr Picks D.C.	Get Up to $210 Back in Bonus, 4 No Sweat Tokens + a Free Pick!
PrizePicks D.C.	Play $5, Get $50 in Lineups - Instantly!
Rebet Social Sportsbook D.C.	Get a 100% Deposit Match up to $100!
Bleacher Nation Fantasy D.C.	Get a 50% Deposit Match up to $100!
DraftKings Pick6 D.C.	Play $5, Get $50 in Bonus Picks!

Underdog D.C.

Underdog is another great option for D.C. DFS players. It offers pick'em props like PrizePicks and fantasy drafts.

Underdog Promo

Play $5, Get $50 in Bonus Entries!

Underdog Promo Code

ACTION

Action Network Score

9.3/10. We recommend reading our Underdog Promo Code and review for more details on this unique DFS app.

Bonuses & Promotions
Mobile App & Website
Registering & Cashiering
Betting Options
Underdog vs Other DFS Apps

Dabble Fantasy D.C.

Dabble is one of the newest DFS apps that offers up to 100X your entry amount if you win!

Dabble Fantasy Promo 

Play $5, Get $50 in Bonus Cash!

Dabble Fantasy Promo Code

ACTION

Terms and Conditions

BONUS CASH. NON-WITHDRAWABLE. T&Cs APPLY. 18+ (21+ MA & AZ; 19+ NE). US customers in eligible states only. Concerned with your play? Call 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-NEXT-STEP for AZ) or visit www.ncpgambling.org.

Action Network Score

8.9/10. See our Dabble Fantasy Promo Code & Review for more details.

Boom Sports D.C.

Boom Sports offers Pick ‘Em: Toss-Ups (Over/Under), Longshots, Favorites, and Matchups.

Boom Sports Promo 

Play $5, Get $40 in Bonus Lineups!

Boom Sports Promo Code

No code needed.

Terms and Conditions

Must be 18+ (19+ or 21+ depending on state of residence) and within applicable state. Full T&Cs apply.

Action Network Score

8.7/10. See our Boom Sports Promo Code & Review for more details.

PrizePicks Washington D.C.

PrizePicks is a good choice for those looking for an alternative and legal DFS option in D.C. Over/under totals are created daily for players and they only have to pick their lineups for a chance to win. Users in D.C. can play PrizePicks Pick 'Em Arena, where they can challenge one another to earn the most points (determined by your lineups) to win!

PrizePicks Promo

Play $5, Get $50 in Lineups - Instantly!

PrizePicks Promo Code

ACTION

Action Network Score

9.4/10. We recommend reading our PrizePicks Promo Code and review for more details on this unique DFS app.

Bonuses & Promotions
Mobile App & Website
Registering & Cashiering
Betting Options
PrizePicks vs Other DFS Apps

Bleacher Nation Fantasy D.C.

Bleacher Nation Fantasy is another exciting DFS option for players located in D.C.

Bleacher Nation Fantasy Promo

Get a 50% Deposit Match up to $100!

Bleacher Nation Fantasy Promo Code

TANBONUS

Terms and Conditions

Must be 19+ (21+ in AZ and MA) and present in a state where Bleacher Nation Fantasy powered by Draft Logics operates. Terms apply. See https://draftlogics.com/terms for details. Concerned with your play? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit www.ncpgambling.org

Action Network Score

8.7/10. We recommend reading our Bleacher Nation Fantasy Promo Code and review for more details.

Chalkboard DFS

Chalkboard is a DFS pick’em app that blends daily fantasy with a Social Sports Picks mode in some states. You predict over/under on projections; hit more, win more. 

Chalkboard Promo

Get a 100% Deposit Match up to $100 + Free Pick!

Chalkboard Promo Code

No code needed.

Action Network Score

Rating Coming Soon. Until then, our Chalkboard Promo Code & Review.

D.C. Social Sportsbooks

Take a look at the current social sportsbooks available in D.C.

Fliff Social Sportsbook D.C.

Fliff Social Sportsbook is the closest platform to a sportsbook that the District residents can use. As one of the first of its kind, Fliff offers betting lines and XP Rewards.

Fliff Sportsbook Promo

Spend $5, Get $50 + 100% Match Up to $100!

Action Network Score

8.8/10. We recommend reading our Fliff Promo Code and review for more details on the social sportsbook app.

Bonuses & Promotions
Mobile App & Website
Registering & Cashiering
Betting Options
Fliff vs Other Sportsbook Apps

Social Casinos in D.C.

Social casino are new to the iGaming scene and are readily available in D.C. Check out the offers below!

McLuck Casino

McLuck Casino offers an easy-to-use app and a vast gaming library.

McLuck Casino Promo

Get 127,500 GC + 62.5 Free SC + Chance to Win 500 Free SC!

McLuck Casino Promo Code

ACTION5

Action Network Score

Coming soon! In the meantime, read our McLuck Casino Promo Code & Review.

High 5 Casino

High 5 is a massive social casino that is available in over 40 U.S. states.

High 5 Casino Promo

Get Up To 700 Game Coins, 55 SC + 400 Diamonds + 1 SC Daily!

High 5 Casino Promo Code

No promo code required

Action Network Score

8/10. Read our High 5 Casino Promo Code & Review.

Bonuses & Promotions
Mobile App & Website
Registering & Cashiering
Betting Options
High 5 Casino vs Other Social Casinos

Pulsz Casino

The vast social casino offers over 750 games for users to enjoy. Sign up today to redeem the welcome offer below!

Pulsz Casino Promo

Get 1,005,000 GC + 77.3 Free SC + 50 Free Spins (200% Extra Free)!

Pulsz Casino Promo Code

ACTION5 

Action Network Score

8/10. Read our Pulsz Promo Code & Review.

Bonuses & Promotions
Mobile App & Website
Registering & Cashiering
Betting Options
Pulsz Casino vs Other Social Casinos

WOW Vegas Casino

The free-to-play social casino offers more than 500 casino-style games to play!

WOW Vegas Casino Promo

Get 1.75 million WOW Coins + 35 FREE Sweepstake Coins!

WOW Vegas Casino Promo Code

ACTION

Action Network Score

Rating Coming Soon. Read our WOW Vegas Casino Promo Code & Review.

Stake.us Casino

Stake.us Casino is an excellent option for social casino players, especially those looking to use cryptocurrencies. 

Stake.us Casino Promo

Get $56 Stake Cash + 560K Gold Coins + 3.5% Rakeback

Stake.us Casino Promo Code

ACTION

Action Network Score

Rating Coming Soon. Until then, our Stake.us Casino Promo Code & Review.

Is GambetDC Still the Only Legal Betting App in D.C.?

GambetDC no longer exists; it stopped taking bets at 11:59 p.m. ET on April 15, 2024, and FanDuel replaced it on the same platform at noon that day. The city managed its own mobile betting app from May 2020 through a contract with Intralot and a subcontractor called Veterans Services Corp, but it performed poorly, losing $4 million in 2021, crashing during the Super Bowl, and drawing heavy criticism in council hearings. In March 2024, the Office of Lottery and Gaming approved moving the app to FanDuel, which paid $5 million for the switch. 

Later, in July 2024, the city created a new license class allowing any operator to run mobile betting for $2 million plus 30% of revenue. DraftKings and Fanatics launched in July and September 2024, respectively. FanDuel then chose to operate under its own license at a 20% rate, which is why it’s now based at a soccer stadium instead of with the lottery. Additionally, Caesars took over the self-service betting kiosks from Intralot in September 2024, so those machines now run Caesars.

Why Which Block You Stand On Affects the App

The District is 68 square miles, with a federal government in the middle and four stadiums holding exclusive betting rights over their immediate surroundings. Three separate restrictions overlap, and on a normal day in central Washington, you can walk through all three inside twenty minutes. This is the single biggest practical difference between betting in D.C. and betting in Maryland or Virginia, and it is why “the app says I’m out of state” is the most common complaint in the District, even from people standing in the middle of it.

Restriction One: Federal Land

D.C. law prohibits sports wagering on federal property inside the District. In practice, that means the National Mall, the Capitol and congressional office buildings, the White House, East Potomac Park, and Rock Creek Park. This is not a network problem, and support can't fix it. If you are sitting on the Mall, no licensed app in the District will accept your bet, and the same applies to a federal office building even if the building is nowhere near the Mall.

The practical consequence for anyone who works for the federal government or a federal contractor in a federally owned building: your desk may be inside a permanent dead zone. Walking to a public sidewalk usually resolves it.

Restriction Two: The Two-Block Stadium Zones

The Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act reserves Class A licenses for four named venues, and gives each Class A operator exclusive rights inside its facility and within a two-block radius of it. No other operator may be licensed in that zone, and every citywide app must switch itself off inside it. So around Nationals Park, BetMGM works and the other four do not. Around Capital One Arena, Caesars works, and the other four do not. Around Audi Field, FanDuel works and the other four do not.

The fourth venue is the trap. CareFirst Arena is a statutory Class A site and appears in the OLG’s published restriction-zone map, but no operator holds a Class A license there. Before you assume a dead app near St. Elizabeths East is a bug, check the map.

The OLG publishes the zones as an interactive layer on the District’s open-data portal, under “Entertainment Sports Gambling Restriction Zones.” It is the only authoritative version. The two-block boundaries follow street geometry rather than a circle, so they are not something you can eyeball from a distance.

One more consequence worth knowing: the Washington Commanders play at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, not in the District. The Robert F. Kennedy Campus Redevelopment Act of 2025, which the Council passed 11–2 on September 17, 2025, brings the team back to a 65,000-seat roofed stadium on the RFK site with a target opening in 2030. That stadium is not one of the four venues named in the sports wagering statute, so a retail sportsbook there would need the Council to amend the D.C. Code first.

Restriction Three: The District Line Itself

You must be physically inside the District to place a bet with a D.C.-licensed book. You can open an account, deposit, browse odds and check your bet history from anywhere; only the act of placing the wager is geofenced. That is the correct mental model for a commuter: register at home, bet at work.

A bet already placed is not affected by leaving. If you place a wager in D.C. at lunchtime and drive home to Arlington, the bet settles normally and you can withdraw from Virginia. What you cannot do is place the next one.

D.C. is small enough that geofence edges are a daily problem rather than an occasional one. Rock Creek Park runs through the middle of Northwest, so a Maryland-bound commute along Beach Drive crosses a prohibited area and then a jurisdictional line within a few minutes. Building interiors are the other common cause: an app that works on the sidewalk and fails on an upper floor is usually reading a weak GPS fix and falling back on Wi-Fi and IP, both of which can place you in Bethesda or Alexandria if your office network routes that way.

Why It Works on Your Phone but Not Your Laptop

Phones have GPS. Laptops generally do not, so a desktop browser locates you using Wi-Fi network data and your IP address, and licensed books in the District require a geolocation plug-in to do it. In a jurisdiction eight miles across that margin of error is the difference between a bet and a rejection.

If desktop betting fails consistently in D.C., install the plug-in the book asks for, allow browser location permissions, turn off any VPN or private relay, and use the mobile app when you are near a boundary. Using a VPN to fake your location is a term-of-service breach that gets accounts closed and winnings voided, and it will not defeat the plug-in anyway.

Who can bet in D.C.

District law sets the minimum age for sports betting at 18, which is lower than the usual 21 in nearby areas. Some operators, like FanDuel and DraftKings, accept players aged 18 and older, while others, like BetMGM and Caesars, require you to be 21. This means an 18-year-old can place bets on apps in D.C., but not inside certain venues like Capital One Arena or Nationals Park, where only licensed 21+ books are allowed.

To open a betting account, you'll need your legal name, date of birth, address, and Social Security number. The books verify your identity using public records, not credit checks, so you don't need to prove residency. Visitors can open accounts from any state. If your ID address doesn’t match your current location, common for travelers, your account can still usually be verified. Sometimes, ID documents like a passport or driver’s license, along with a utility bill or bank statement, are needed to confirm your address, especially if it doesn’t match the information you entered.

18+ in the District. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

What can and can’t you bet on in D.C.?

D.C. runs a whitelist, not a blacklist. No operator in the District may take a bet on any sporting event unless the OLG has approved that league in advance, and a book wanting a new category has to apply at least fourteen days before accepting a wager on it. Once the OLG approves a league, it becomes available to every licensed operator, so the five apps offer materially the same catalog. The current list took effect on August 12, 2026.

The permitted wager types are broad: single-game bets, teasers, parlays, over/unders, moneyline pools, exchange wagering, in-game and in-play bets, proposition bets, and straight bets.

The catalog covers what you would expect:

• Football: NFL & CFL 

• Basketball: NBA, WNBA, European/international basketball leagues

• Baseball: MLB 

• Hockey: NHL, international hockey leagues

• Soccer: MLS, English Premier League, UEFA Champions League

• College sports: NCAA football and basketball (except for local D.C. teams and games within district lines)

• Golf: PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, PGA Tour Champions, PGA European Tour

• Auto Racing: IndyCar, NASCAR, Formula One

Two gaps are worth knowing before you go looking. College approvals are limited to Division I, so there is no betting on lower-division college sport in the District. And horse racing is not covered at all: there is no licensed pari-mutuel or advance-deposit wagering in D.C., and the national ADW sites block District residents. The nearest track is Laurel Park in Maryland.

The college rules, which are stricter than most people assume

Two separate prohibitions apply, and they stack.

• No betting on any collegiate event in which a District of Columbia college team participates, wherever the event takes place. That covers American, George Washington, Georgetown and Howard; the District’s four Division I programs. A Georgetown road game in Indiana is off-limits in D.C.

• No betting on any collegiate event that takes place in the District, regardless of who is playing. A visiting Big East team at Capital One Arena is off-limits even though the visitor is not a D.C. school.

So a neutral-site college tournament game held in Washington is unbettable in Washington and perfectly bettable in Virginia. The reverse also holds, and this is the part that surprises people: a D.C. bettor can bet on Virginia and Virginia Tech, while a Virginia bettor cannot. The restrictions follow the jurisdiction you are standing in, not the team.

High school sport is prohibited outright. The governing regulation is 30 DCMR § 2127.

Who regulates D.C. sports betting, and what is changing

The Office of Lottery and Gaming licenses and checks all sportsbooks in the District. It’s part of the Office of the Chief Financial Officer. It publishes license lists and revenue reports, and must approve each league before betting starts. The rules come from the Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act of 2018, updated by the Sports Wagering Act of 2024, which took effect on July 15, 2024. The tax rules are in D.C. Code § 36-621.15.

 

The Class C requirements are unusually specific, which explains why only two operators hold one. An applicant needs an agreement with a team registered with MLB, MLS, NBA, NFL, NHL, NWSL or WNBA that plays at least 90% of its home games in the District at one of the four named venues; proof of licensure in at least five other U.S. jurisdictions; a Certified Business Enterprise plan directing 35% of its D.C. operating budget to local small businesses, or a waiver; a bond equal to half its projected five-year tax; and transactional servers physically located inside the District.

Three developments are worth tracking.

• Gambling Law Changes: In February 2025, DC Gambling Recovery LLC sued major sports betting companies for a law allowing recovery of gambling losses over $25, seeking $197 million in damages. The D.C. Council quickly exempted authorized sports wagering from this law, removing the threat.

• Online Casino Proposal: On April 9, 2026, Councilmember Wendell Felder introduced a bill to legalize online slots, table games, and poker with regulations for those over 21. It would impose a $2 million license fee and ban unlicensed sweepstakes gaming, as residents reportedly wagered $700 million on illegal platforms in 2024.

• Card Gaming Regulation: The Fiscal Year 2026 budget allowed for in-person blackjack, poker, and bingo in D.C., with the Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG) as the regulator. However, no card rooms are currently operational.