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DC Council Approves 2025 Budget; Paves the Way for Competitive Betting Market

Collins Garrett

Updated as of June 27, 2024 at 1:02 PM EDT. Read time: 1 minute and 30 seconds. Links to Twitter and Google News provided.

Washington Nationals left fielder Jesse Winker is congratulated by right fielder Lane Thomas as we look at the details of the DC Council approving its 2025FY budget.
Washington Nationals left fielder Jesse Winker is congratulated by right fielder Lane Thomas after hitting a two-run home run. Photo by: Orlando Ramirez/USA TODAY Sports.

On Tuesday, June 25, the DC Council passed the FY2025 budget, which includes a provision for an openly competitive sports betting marketplace in the Capital. This could potentially increase residents’ access to top sports betting sites.

In order to avoid submitting it to Congress for approval, the emergency act for the new budget was passed by the DC Council through a voice vote. It will take effect on July 15.

What’s in the budget

The revised budget will remove FanDuel’s monopoly on mobile betting throughout the District, which is currently in partnership with the Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG). This change will enable existing market operators BetMGM (Nationals Park) and Caesars Underscoreg (Capital One Arena) to broaden their mobile sportsbook services citywide. The budget is anticipated to attract new operators to the District as well.

The current DC sports betting law allows for two types of operator licenses, with the newly proposed budget introducing a new class of license.

Four sports venues in the city, including Capital One Arena, Audi Field, Nationals Park, and St. Elizabeth’s Sports Arena, have been approved for Class A licenses. These licenses permit the establishment of retail sportsbooks within the venue and mobile betting within a two-block radius.

The Class B license, which is the second type of license available in the District, can be obtained by any business that is not a sportsbook, including bars or restaurants.

Class C

The new provision will introduce a Class C license which will enable top sportsbooks to form partnerships with professional sports teams in the Capital and provide mobile sports betting services throughout the city. Currently, FanDuel is subject to a 40% tax rate as the exclusive market player, but under the new plan, Class C operators will only be taxed at a rate of 20%.

FanDuel is the exclusive partner of the DC Lottery and also holds a Class A license to operate a retail sportsbook at Audi Field, home to DC United and DC Spirit soccer teams. They have the option to partner with a local sports franchise to obtain a Class C license and benefit from a lower tax rate. To explore what FanDuel offers, take a look at our FanDuel promo code.

On June 5, FanDuel President Christian Genetski issued a letter to DC City Council Chairman Phil Mendelson cautioning that the company might end its partnership with the city if the budget provisions that permit an open market are approved.

Written By:
Collins Garrett
Ziv has over two decades of experience in the igaming and sports betting industry, having served in senior marketing and business development positions with both B2C and B2B companies, including Playtech and Microgaming. In 2019, Ziv decided to pursue his passion for writing and became a fulltime industry journalist, covering casino, sports, and gambling business news. He’s specialties include casino games and technology, US state gambling regulation, company performance, as well as gambling affiliates and marketing. As a Pitt graduate, Ziv is a diehard fan of all Pittsburgh sports teams, with the Steelers at the top of the list. In his free time, he enjoys reading crime fiction, biographies (mainly of sports personalities, but not only) and American history. Ziv’s Favorite quote: “We’re going to pursue perfection, knowing full well we won’t catch it, but we’re going to relentlessly chase it,” Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach.