In this article 11 sections
- Every legal Washington, D.C. sportsbook
- Is sports betting legal in Washington, D.C.?
- DC license classes explained
- The six DC sportsbooks compared
- Retail sportsbooks in Washington, D.C.
- What you can bet on in DC
- How to sign up at a DC sportsbook
- Taxes on DC sports betting winnings
- Responsible gambling in DC
- DC sports betting in 2027
- More
Every legal Washington, D.C. sportsbook
BetMGM
License: Nationals Park (Washington Nationals), Class A · Live since Jul 2024
Nationals Park holds BetMGM's Class A license, and the ballpark's retail sportsbook opened in 2022. The app was limited to the blocks around the stadium until July 2024, when District-wide mobile betting opened. Bettors here need only be 18, though local college teams are off limits.
Caesars Sportsbook
License: Capital One Arena (Monumental Sports & Entertainment), Class A · Live since Jul 2024
Caesars holds the Class A license tied to Capital One Arena, where its retail book has its own F Street entrance and is open daily, game or no game. The app went District-wide in July 2024, and bets earn Caesars Rewards credits.
DraftKings Sportsbook
License: D.C. United (market access agreement) · Live since Jul 2024
DraftKings went live on July 25, 2024, through a Class C market access deal with MLS club D.C. United, days after private apps were cleared to cover the whole District. Like every DC book, it cannot take bets on Georgetown, Howard, GW or American.
Fanatics Sportsbook
License: Washington Spirit partnership · Live since Sep 2024
A partnership with the NWSL's Washington Spirit brought Fanatics to the District on September 12, 2024. Bets earn FanCash, which can go on Capitals, Commanders or Spirit gear in the Fanatics store or be turned into bonus bets.
FanDuel Sportsbook
Live since Apr 2024
FanDuel took over from the DC Lottery's much-criticized GambetDC app on April 15, 2024, becoming the first private sportsbook available District-wide. Its retail counter at Audi Field closed in February 2025, so its DC business is now app-only.
theScore Bet
License: Monumental Sports & Entertainment (market access) · Live since Jan 2025
Monumental Sports & Entertainment, owner of the Capitals, Wizards and Mystics, signed the long-term deal that brought PENN to DC in January 2025 as ESPN BET. The app became theScore Bet on December 1, 2025, with live scores and team news built in.
Compare every legal Washington, D.C. sportsbook: the six licensed betting apps, the stadiums and teams behind their licenses, and the District rules that catch visitors out. Sports betting has been legal in DC since 2019, the first app went live in 2020, and since July 2024 private sportsbooks have competed across the whole city.
The District does things its own way. The legal age is 18, the Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG) is the regulator, and every mobile license is tied to a stadium or a team, from Nationals Park to the Washington Spirit. None of the six is a commercial partner of American.Bet, so this page carries no sportsbook offers or Promo Codes. What follows is an independent guide to the full field.
| Washington, D.C. sports betting: key facts | |
|---|---|
| Online betting | Yes, District-wide (GambetDC from 2020; private apps since 2024) |
| Retail betting | Yes, at Capital One Arena, Nationals Park and Class B bars |
| Legal age | 18; BetMGM and Caesars require 21 |
| Regulator | DC Office of Lottery and Gaming |
| Licensed mobile sportsbooks | 6 |
| Remote registration | Yes; you must be inside the District to bet |
| District college teams | Off the board |
| Tax on operator revenue | 20% (Class A), 10% (Class B), 30% (Class C) |
| Monthly handle, July 2026 | $64.2 million |
Is sports betting legal in Washington, D.C.?
Yes. The Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act of 2018 was signed by Mayor Muriel Bowser in January 2019 and cleared congressional review in May 2019. For its first four years the market ran on two tracks: the DC Lottery’s GambetDC app, which worked citywide, and private books whose apps only worked within about two blocks of their stadiums.
That changed in 2024. FanDuel replaced GambetDC on April 15, 2024, and the Sports Wagering Amendment Act of 2024, effective July 15, let stadium licensees take mobile bets anywhere in the District and created Class C licenses for sports teams and their sportsbook partners. BetMGM and Caesars went citywide immediately, DraftKings followed in late July and Fanatics in September. Our Washington, D.C. gambling guide covers the rest of the District’s gaming laws.
DC license classes explained
| Class | Who holds it | What it allows | Tax rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Capital One Arena, Nationals Park, Audi Field and the St. Elizabeths East arena | Retail book at the venue plus District-wide mobile since July 2024 | 20% |
| B | Bars, restaurants and other businesses at least two blocks from a Class A venue | Betting on the premises only | 10% |
| C | Sports teams partnered with an online sportsbook | District-wide mobile | 30% |
Class C licenses carry a $2 million application fee for a five-year term and a $1 million renewal fee.
The six DC sportsbooks compared
There is no affiliate relationship behind these notes. Each book is licensed by the OLG.
- FanDuel: replaced the DC Lottery’s GambetDC app on April 15, 2024, becoming the first private sportsbook available across the whole District. It reports as a Class A licensee and led the market in July 2026 with $24.5 million in handle. Its retail book at Audi Field closed in February 2025. Read our FanDuel Sportsbook review.
- DraftKings: entered in late July 2024 through a market access agreement with MLS club D.C. United, days after private apps were cleared to operate citywide. It reports as Class C and was second in July 2026 with $19.8 million.
- BetMGM: its license runs through Nationals Park, where it opened a retail sportsbook in 2022. The app was confined to the area around the ballpark until July 2024. You must be 21.
- Caesars Sportsbook: holds the Class A license tied to Capital One Arena, home of the Capitals, Wizards and Mystics, where its 2021 sportsbook can be entered without passing arena security. Its app went District-wide in July 2024. You must be 21.
- Fanatics Sportsbook: a partnership with the NWSL’s Washington Spirit brought Fanatics to DC on September 12, 2024, the fifth app in the District. It pays rewards in FanCash.
- theScore Bet: a long-term deal with Monumental Sports & Entertainment brought PENN to DC on January 22, 2025 as ESPN BET, the District’s sixth app. It became theScore Bet on December 1, 2025.
Retail sportsbooks in Washington, D.C.
Two stadium books remain. Caesars’ sportsbook at Capital One Arena has about 100 screens, nearly 20 betting windows and a dozen kiosks, and Caesars also runs kiosks at nearly 50 bars and businesses after the OLG picked it in September 2024 to take over the lottery’s kiosk network from Intralot. BetMGM’s 4,000-square-foot book at Nationals Park has 17 kiosks.
Class B venues add neighborhood options. Grand Central Sportsbook & Cafe became the first in October 2021, and Over Under Sportsbook and a second Grand Central on H Street NE followed.
What you can bet on in DC
DC books cover the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, WNBA, MLS, NWSL, college sports, golf, tennis, soccer, MMA and motorsport, with moneylines, spreads, totals, parlays, same-game parlays, props, futures and live betting.
College betting rules
The District bans wagers on any college located in DC and on any college game played in DC, regardless of the teams. That takes Georgetown, George Washington, Howard and American off the board, along with any neutral-site tournament games held in the city. Bets on events where most participants are under 18 are also barred.
Local teams on the board
The college ban does not touch the pros. The Commanders, Capitals, Wizards, Nationals, Mystics, D.C. United and the Spirit are all fair game, and three of those clubs, the Nationals, D.C. United and the Spirit, sit behind DC sportsbook licenses, along with Monumental, owner of the Capitals, Wizards and Mystics.
How to sign up at a DC sportsbook
- Be 18 or older (21 at BetMGM and Caesars).
- Download the app and register with your legal name, address, date of birth and Social Security details so identity checks clear.
- Turn on location services. You can sign up from anywhere, but bets only go through inside the District.
- Deposit by debit card, online banking or another listed method, then pick a market and confirm the bet slip.
Step over the line into Arlington or Silver Spring and your DC app stops working. You need an app licensed there instead, and the age is 21: see our Maryland sportsbooks guide and Virginia sportsbooks guide.
Taxes on DC sports betting winnings
Winnings are taxable income for District residents at DC’s regular rates, from 4% to 10.75%, as well as federally. From the 2026 tax year the W-2G threshold rose to $2,000 and losses became deductible only at 90% of their value, capped at your winnings. Keep records of every bet.
Responsible gambling in DC
The OLG keeps a District-wide self-exclusion list with terms of one year, 18 months, three years, five years or lifetime. Every app offers deposit limits and time-outs, and Caesars, for example, lets you self-exclude in the app, at its retail book or by mail. For free, confidential help, call 1-800-GAMBLER, or call or text the National Council on Problem Gambling at 1-800-522-4700. See our responsible gambling guide.
DC sports betting in 2027
Room for a seventh app
The District allows up to seven mobile sportsbooks and six are live, so a new team partnership could add one.
Online casino on the table
B26-0656 would add licensed online casino games at a 25% tax. Sportsbooks such as DraftKings and BetMGM testified in favor in May 2026.
Handle keeps climbing
July 2026 handle of $64.2 million was up 14.7% on July 2025. The NFL season and a full NBA and NHL calendar should push the busiest months higher.
What sportsbooks are legal in Washington, D.C.?
FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, Fanatics Sportsbook and theScore Bet.
How old do you have to be to bet on sports in DC?
18 under District law. BetMGM and Caesars require 21.
Can I bet on Georgetown or Howard in DC?
No. Bets on District colleges, and on any college game played in DC, are prohibited.
Is there a retail sportsbook in DC?
Yes. Caesars at Capital One Arena and BetMGM at Nationals Park, plus Class B bars such as Grand Central.
Can I use a DC sportsbook app in Maryland or Virginia?
No. DC apps only accept bets inside the District. Use an app licensed in the state you are in.
What happened to GambetDC?
FanDuel took over the DC Lottery’s platform on April 15, 2024, and GambetDC was retired.
