Legal Sportsbooks: The Best Online Betting Sites in Washington DC 2024
Washington DC online sports betting has been legal and available for several years, although there are limited legal options for locals. The only operator that is available throughout the district is the GameBet DC app that is provided by the state lottery.
There are also two commercial Washington DC sports betting apps, though these are geofenced. This means that they can only be accessed in certain locations, which in the case of DC, is in the proximity of its sporting arenas. The available commercial betting sites are supplied by BetMGM and Caesars, with FanDuel set to debut soon.
We’ve dedicated this guide to discussing the current laws, the history of gambling, what makes a good betting site and many other topics related to the best betting sites in Washington DC. You will find no links to offshore betting sites here though, as we don’t recommend unlicensed betting sites that could be unsafe.
Washington DC Online Betting Sites List: All Legal DC Online Sportsbooks
There are only three sites listed on our Washington DC online sportsbook list, taken from our betting sites list. These include the Gamebet DC app, BetMGM, and Caesars. However, as all three offer restricted online gambling options and no new player promotions, we have not supplied any links to their sign-up pages.
For the most part, we will discuss the GameBet DC platform, as this is the only mobile operator that can be accessed anywhere in the district and therefore the best online Washington DC sportsbook. As you read this guide, you will learn about the site’s features and other important related subjects.
How to Start Betting Online in Washington DC
If you are yet to try online betting, you may be wondering if it’s an easy process. In our opinion, online sports betting is much more convenient than retail betting, with more betting options available at your fingertips. Below, we’ve covered how to bet online at the best betting sites Washington DC offers, from registration to confirming your bet.
Visit the sportsbook homepage on your mobile or desktop. You’ll need to download the app on your mobile. Provide your name, details, date of birth and submit ID. Make a deposit.
Head to the lobby to find pre-match and live betting odds. Find the events and sports that interest you, and filter the bet types in the market selection.
Click on the odds to add them to your bet slip. Add more odds to build your bet and choose to make a single or parlay bet. Set your stake, click to place your bet and confirm.
The first thing you will need to do before using any available betting app is create an account. This is simply a matter of registering your details and confirming your identity. After this is complete, you’ll be free to head to the lobby to start building your bet. Then, set your stake in the bet slip and confirm the bet.
Grading Criteria: How We’ve Judged the Best Washington DC Betting Sites
We utilize standard grading criteria when reviewing all legal US betting sites to ensure that our readers have the most accurate and fair overview of their options. We have tested all of the available Washington DC betting websites against the criteria, which you can visit by clicking on the links below or, alternatively, keep scrolling.
The best Washington DC online sports betting sites excel in all categories, including the safety and security features, the customer support options, the available promotions, and the quality of the platform. We’ve also looked at the odds and payout levels as they indicate a site’s fairness and potential value to bettors.
Laws, Safety and Security
Although there are technically some legal Washington DC sportsbooks available to locals, the options are slim due to the fact that commercial betting apps are geofenced. For example, punters wanting to use the Caesars sportsbook will need to be within two blocks of the Capital One Arena.
Similarly, the BetMGM sportsbook is only accessible within two blocks of Nationals Park. This is enforced by local gambling authorities, which are also in charge of maintaining safety standards in the district’s sports betting industry. These sites are licensed, meaning that they have passed strict testing procedures.
In the upcoming sections, we’ve taken a look at the laws and regulations that mandate Washington DC online sportsbook, the safety and security provisions they must adhere to, and the topic of responsible gambling. Because there are unfortunately some scam sites, there’s nothing more important than choosing a legitimate online betting site.
Gambling Laws in Washington DC
Washington DC has long held a conservative view when it comes to gambling. The current laws relating to the matter are laid out in the state criminal code. Here, gambling is defined as wagering something of value on a chance outcome in hopes of the pursuit prize. This is considered illegal.
Therefore, commercial and tribal casinos, horse race betting, and card rooms remain illegal. The only games of chance that are tolerated are lottery games and charitable gambling organized by qualified organizations. Sports betting was also recently legalized but in a limited capacity through the lottery and up to five commercial operators.
Sports betting was legalized through the Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act and gave the DC Lottery power to issue sports betting licenses. Commercial operators must be linked to one of the four major sports venues with a two-block exclusivity zone enforced. The Lottery betting app is restricted in these blocks.
Taxes on Washington DC Betting Sites
There is one blanket tax rate applied to sports betting in Washington DC, whether you’re wagering in person at the state’s sports arenas or on the mobile apps. The state takes a 10 percent cut of sports betting revenues, with a small portion going to the operators and the rest returned as winnings.
This tax rate is actually quite fair, with states such as New York mandating a huge 51 percent tax on sports betting revenues. The benefit of a low tax rate is that the best Washington DC betting sites can offer more attractive odds. It’s also important to remember that a 24% federal tax is applied to gambling winnings over $5,000.
Encryption and Data Security
To keep player’s personal data and financial information secure, all online Washington DC sportsbooks are required to implement SSL security. This technology encrypts users’ connections to websites and prevents hackers and scammers from interfering and stealing sensitive information. This encryption must meet minimum standards set by the DC Lottery.
In the case of GameBet DC, the operator uses 256-bit SSL encryption from AlphaSSL, a trustworthy certification group. Furthermore, once you have made your deposits, your money will be stored in a separate account, meaning that your cash is not at risk of being stolen by hackers.
Minimum Betting Age
The district holds an interesting position when it comes to the minimum gambling age. In the district, players must be over 18 years old to participate in the lottery or wager on sports at any online sportsbook in Washington DC. This differs from most states which enforce a 21-year minimum age.
Responsible Gambling Procedures
As long as they are licensed, the best Washington DC betting sites must adhere to strict regulations when it comes to responsible gaming practices. There are several effective tools that can be accessed with ease on the GameBet app in particular, including bet limits, deposit limits, time limits, cool-off periods, and self-exclusion.
The site also provides contact details to resources that can support players who are struggling with problem gambling and their families. This includes Gamblers Anonymous, Gam-Anon, and GamTalk. These offerings are signs of an operator’s commitment to ensuring that players are engaging in healthy and fun betting.
Trust Certificates
Any legal Washington DC sportsbook online will include logos throughout its pages that signify a commitment to safe gambling practices. These logos represent certificates that are associated with different companies that provide safety and security technology, problem gambling support, or gambling regulation The following are some certificates featured on the legal DC sites.
- SSL Certificate – shows that your data and privacy is protected via encryption
- Responsible Gambling – displays that the operator works with gambling helplines
- DC Lottery – the certificate of the site’s regulator, proves that it’s licensed
Whether you’re gambling online in Washington DC or out of state, it’s best to take the time to seek out these certificates. Often, they will be listed at the bottom of the homepage and include links to the relevant companies. The licensing logo is the most important because without this, the site is illegal.
Bonuses and Promotions
One of the biggest advantages to online sports betting sites over their retail counterparts is that online betting sites will usually provide special bonus perks. These can usually be claimed at the signup stage when making your first deposit and vary widely in size and type. Common bonuses include free bets, risk-free bets, boosted odds, and matched bets.
Often, online betting sites will also offer reload bonuses to returning customers. They could be bonus funds, more free bets, or loyalty program rewards points. Unfortunately, the best betting sites in Washington DC do not offer these promotions due to the regulatory and location-based limitations placed on them.
However, the industry is still growing in the district, with more commercial operators set to debut in the coming few years. When this market becomes more populated and competitive, there will likely be some great deals to claim. In this case, we’ll be sure to feature the best promotions for you here.
Average Payout, Odds and Lines at Sportsbooks
The odds at a sportsbook will determine the size of your payouts, so it’s extremely important that you are only joining sites that offer fair and competitive odds. Every sportsbook will use a payout percentage that influences its return to player (RTP) rate. The higher these are, the higher the odds.
Many betting sites will not be transparent about these rates, though we can tell you that usually, the payout percentage will be higher for more popular sports. This is because these events will generate more bettor interest, and betting sites will need to offer the most competitive odds to lure players in.
These percentages can also be influenced by the tax rate. As the tax rate is quite low in the district, the best online Washington DC betting sites offer similar and very fair odds. Usually, we would recommend comparing the odds of different betting sites, but due to the location restrictions on each app, this isn’t really convenient or feasible.
Live Betting and Streaming
Live betting has become an increasingly popular way to bet on sports in the USA, and this can be done at all of the available betting apps. If you’re unfamiliar with it, live or in-play betting allows users to bet on sporting events as they unfold. This is undoubtedly the most thrilling and fast-paced betting option.
Whether it’s an NFL game or the Olympics, you’ll be able to access the live betting lobby at all betting sites in Washington DC. All three provide useful infographic overviews of the events and up-to-date statistics to help inform your wagers. This is one activity where good research and knowledge will make a huge difference.
In some states, online betting sites will provide you with a chance to live stream popular sports as you wager on them. While this is not yet available in DC, the GameBet in-play betting section does have a grayed-out ‘Stream’ tab on several live betting options. This leads us to believe that it could be an upcoming future release.
Mobile Apps
We believe that the whole point of online betting is to give bettors the most convenient and easy way to place wagers. The best online Washington DC betting sites will understand this, and ensure that users are able to gamble from mobile smartphones or tablet devices.
Top operators offer Washington DC sports betting apps for Apple and Android devices, although many sites instead offer mobile-optimized platforms that can be accessed through your web browser. These should be fast, stable, easy to navigate, responsive, and facilitate the same betting features such as live betting.
We were pleased to find that all three of the available District of Columbia online sportsbooks offer a mobile app. While you will be able to access these anywhere in the country to withdraw your money, you will not be able to place your wagers outside of the geo-fenced locations.
Customer Service Options
It’s possible that at some point in your time with a betting site, you will have urgent queries or, in the worst-case scenario, problems with your account. This is why the best betting sites offer high-quality support that can be reached at any time to help resolve your questions or issues.
The top betting sites in Washington DC have around-the-clock support that can be reached every day of the week. This makes them ideal for betting at any time of the day or night. You can also contact the teams through various methods, such as live chat and telephone. We have found that live chat is the fastest and most convenient method to use.
We tested the betting site’s support and found that the care team was fast, friendly and helpful, with wait times being no longer than 10 minutes. These are all signs of top-notch customer support, and you will only find these at sites that have been locally licensed.
New Betting Sites in Washington DC
Since the Gamebet DC app was first launched in May 2020, progress with the market expansion has been slow. At first, the lottery app was criticized for its many glitches, but it has since been updated and improved. The Caesars Sportsbook debuted in July 2020, with the BetMGM sportsbook opening not long after.
Depending on how well the FanDuel app does, it’s not out of the question to predict that the district could pivot to expanding commercial apps to district-wide use. A wider market would mean more competition, more bonuses, and expanded betting options and features such as live streaming.
Only time will tell if this will happen, though there are no legislative advancements yet on this topic. If the market were to evolve, the district could generate millions of dollars more in annual revenues while still providing world-class online sports betting to locals.
Offshore Betting Sites in Washington DC
You may have come across advertisements to sites that claim to accept players from Washington DC legally. Unless they are approved by a local regulator, they are in fact not legal at all. In DC, only GameBet, Caesar’s, and BetMGM have been approved, with FanDuel set to follow. Anything else is off-limits.
Below, you’ll find a list of non-legal betting sites in Washington DC.
- ⛔ BetUS
- ⛔ Bovada
- ⛔ MyBookie
- ⛔ XBet
- ⛔ BetOnline.AG
- ⛔ BUSR
- ⛔ Interop’s
- ⛔ BetNow
- ⛔ BetAnySports
- ⛔ JazzSports
- ⛔ Lucky99
- ⛔ WagerWeb
The biggest reason to avoid these sites is that without regulator approval, there is no way to guarantee that gambling at these sites is safe. The sites do not have to meet US fairness and security standards, and if the betting sites refuse to pay out your winnings, there’s no legal road you can follow to pursue them.
History of DC Gambling
Washington DC’s gambling history has been rather uneventful, with most forms of gambling outlawed for the majority of its existence. Gambling was first officially outlawed when the state criminal code was written in 1901. Throughout the following century, the code was updated to clarify what activities were banned.
It wasn’t until the 80s that the state began to realize the potential positive effects that gambling-generated funds could have for the state budget. The first progressive laws came when charitable raffles and bingo were authorized in 1981. The following year, the state lottery was established to raise funds for social programs.
The restrictive nature of sports betting has been a source of frustration for locals. In more recent times, Washington DC residents have been better off travelling to the neighboring legal state of Virginia. There they can find a longer list of legal betting operators offering mobile sports betting with impressive wagering options.
Interestingly, there was a major shift in attitude in 2011, when state legislators passed a bill that would see gambling websites in Washington DC the greenlight. Online casinos would be able to operate, making it the first in the nation to offer these, and expanded gambling such as poker would also be allowed.
However, this was overthrown in 2012 after an investigation revealed that the bill’s author could have been unethically influencing the legislation. It wouldn’t be until 2018 when the prospect of Washington DC online sports betting sites was on the agenda, with lawmakers approving legal sports betting through the lottery system that year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you still have more questions about the betting sites Washington DC has to offer? If so, you’ll find brief answers to common queries on the local betting market. If you’re looking for more details, you can click on the links provided to each to be taken to the relevant section of this guide.
🥇 What is the best betting site in Washington DC?
There are several best Washington DC betting sites to choose from, though each have their own geofencing limitations. The app that can be most widely used is the GameBet DC app. For the others, you will need to be within a two-block radius of major sports stadiums. Each have fair betting odds and rely on high-quality platforms to make bets simple.
🔎 Are there any new betting sites in Washington DC?
The only new betting site in Washington DC that is on the way is the FanDuel app. However, like the other commercial apps, access to the sites will be location-restricted. There are no plans to expand the market as of yet, though there’s a chance that the district realises that it could generate more money from removing the geofencing to create more competition and revenues.
📜 Is there a list of the Washington DC betting sites?
We do not have a list of top betting sites for Washington DC as there are no promotions to recommend. This is unfortunate, as promotions can be a great way to test a site with little risk or a boosted budget. You will need to be located in the app’s restricted locations to properly check out the options and decide what works for you best.
🛡️ Are Washington DC betting sites safe?
Yes, the discussed licensed betting sites are safe and secure due to the fact they are regulated by the DC Lottery. This ensures that betting sites implement strong encryption to protect players’ data, follow responsible gambling guidelines, and offer odds that are competitive and fair. Gambling at offshore betting sites, on the other hand, is not safe.
💵 How does Washington DC make money from betting sites?
Funding towards social welfare programs is generated through the taxation of sports betting revenue. There is a blanket 10 percent tax applied to revenues in Washington DC. This is quite a low rate considering states such as New York apply a 51 percent tax on betting revenues. Lower taxes means often leads to more competitive odds.
⚖️ Is online betting in Washington DC legal?
Since the state gambling laws were changed in 2018, online betting in Washington DC has been completely legal. While the industry isn’t as open and versatile as that offered in New Jersey or Pennsylvania, locals still have some great options with platforms designed by some of the most reliable and trustworthy names in gambling.
👮 How can I solve a dispute with a Washington DC online sportsbook?
If you have any disputes with an online betting site, the best way to resolve this is to contact customer support. At all of the licensed DC sportsbooks, support is offered 24/7 through telephone or live chat. We tested the various options and found all to provide fast and professional service.
Final Thoughts
Now that we’ve reached the end of this guide to the best betting sites Washington DC has to offer, you should have all you need to know to help you decide which option is best for you. While you will have to consider the location restrictions, each site does have its own perks, and most importantly, is approved by local regulators.
Each has fair odds, plenty of great betting options, live betting features, and can be trusted to provide safe, secure, and responsible gambling options. If you’re curious about what the whole US betting market looks like, then we recommend you check out more US betting sites. Who knows — some of them may come to DC in the future.