Washington D.C. Sports Betting Applications To Go Live This Week

• The D.C. Lottery is the regulatory agency in charge of overseeing the Washington D.C. sports betting industry.
• Professional sports stadiums, bars, and restaurants can apply to have their own sportsbooks in Washington D.C.
• The review process for each application could take between 30-45 days.

WASHINGTON – After months of delays, those hoping to get involved in the Washington D.C. sports betting industry will have a chance to apply to the District of Colombia Government Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG).

Applications for a sports gambling operator, management service provider, and supplier license will go live on Tuesday. As per the OLG, the applications will be available through the OLG’s site and through the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affair’s business licensing portal.

“Our team has been working to establish a framework for regulating sports wagering that is fair and fosters public confidence and trust in the process while generating new revenue for the District,” said Beth Bresnahan, the executive director of the OLG.

Reviews for applications will take weeks, however, the OLG will be providing the public with a status report for each business that does apply. The report will include a description of where the company operates, what the company provides, and how close it is to receive a license.

The application process will require businesses to provide a high amount of documentation and information in order to see if they qualify for a license. Rules for sportsbooks in Washington D.C. are a bit more complicated than usual, which all applicants should be aware of.

Who Can Open A Sportsbook In Washington D.C.?

Washington D.C. sportsbooks are classified under two different categories. There are Class A locations which are professional sports stadiums. Then there are Class B locations which can be places such as bars or restaurants.

If a Class B location happens to be part of a chain of restaurants or bars, one license could be used for every location in that chain.

An important distinction between these classes is the licensing fee they will have to pay to the D.C. Lottery. Class A locations will have to pay a licensing fee of $500,000 while Class B locations will have to pay $100,000.

Each class also has different capabilities in the way they can offer sports betting in Washington D.C. When it comes to Class A location, they have the ability to provide their own sports wagering app within two blocks of the stadium. Class B mobile sports betting apps are restricted to on-premises use.

Outside of those areas, Intralot will be providing the only other sports wagering app in Washing D.C. Although, legal sports bets can not be placed on federal lands such as at national parks and monuments.

News tags: Beth Bresnahan | District of Colombia Government Office of Lottery and Gaming | Intralot | Washington D.C.