Washington D.C. Sports Betting Revenue 2025 - Washington D.C. Comprehensive Market Analysis

District of Columbia Sports Betting Overview

Sports wagering was legalized in Washington, D.C., through the Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act of 2018 (Act 22-594), later amended by Act 23-2. The legislation officially became law after congressional approval on May 3, 2019. The Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG) established comprehensive rules and regulations on August 30, 2019, and began accepting license applications from online sportsbooks in December 2019.

Initially, the sports betting framework in the nation's capital featured private operators and a government-run platform, GambetDC, managed by the D.C. Lottery, but in 2024, GambetDC was replaced by FanDuel.

In addition to the online platforms, there are also four retail sportsbooks located at major sports venues in the District:

Capital One Arena: Home to the NBA's Washington Wizards and NHL's Washington Capitals, featuring a Caesars Sportsbook.
Nationals Park: Hosts the MLB's Washington Nationals with a BetMGM Sportsbook.
Audi Field: Venue for MLS club D.C. United, offering a FanDuel Sportsbook.
Northwest Stadium: The home of the Washington Commanders features a Fanatics Sportsbook.

Taxation: Sports betting revenue is taxed at 10% of gross gaming revenue (GGR). (American Gaming Association, 2024)

Interested in how different operators compare? Read our in-depth reviews of businesses in Canada.

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Annual Sports Betting Growth in Washington, D.C.

The D.C. Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG) provides detailed reports combining financial data from online and retail sports betting. Data is pulled directly from its annual reports.

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Monthly Sports Betting Growth in D.C.

Taxes

The D.C. Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG) provides detailed reports combining financial data from online and retail sports betting. Data is pulled directly from its monthly reports.

Source:

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Washington D.C. Sports Betting Handle and Revenue Performance

The Washington D.C. sports betting market went live in 2020 and grew rapidly from its first year to its second, with the handle increasing from around $80.5 million to over $203 million—up over 150%.

The market plateaued at $216 million in 2022 and dropped to $169.8 million in 2023, possibly due to market saturation, neighboring states, or changing consumer behavior. Revenue and tax collections followed a similar path, peaking in 2021 and then declining over the next two years.

Despite the 2023 drop, the overall trend looks solid for future growth. The 2020-2021 surge was likely early excitement and more betting options; the 2022-2023 slowdown could be the market adjusting to new conditions.

2024 Performance

The Washington, D.C., sports betting market rebounded significantly in 2024, with the handle jumping to $461.6 million—almost triple the previous year's value.

Revenue followed suit and rose to $53.7 million, the highest ever recorded. Tax collections also soared to $16.3 million, meaning D.C. sports betting operators are performing well and contributing more to the public purse.

Q1 2025 Washington, D.C. Sports Betting Update

Washington, D.C.’s sports betting market kicked off 2025 with healthy player engagement across all three months. From January through March, bettors wagered a total of $218.6 million, producing $22.9 million in gross gaming revenue (GGR) at hold rates that ranged from 7.24 percent to 12.73 percent. Those results generated $5.27 million in tax receipts—funds earmarked for the city’s education and youth-sports initiatives.

Every figure below comes straight from the D.C. Lottery and Charitable Games Control Board’s official monthly reports.

Month	Handle	GGR	Hold %	Tax Revenue
January	$73,096,228.30	$9,308,224.72	12.73%	$2,090,104.08
February	$59,507,037.00	$7,350,711.17	12.35%	$1,684,139.12
March	$86,014,452.40	$6,224,202.84	7.24%	$1,496,244.30
April	$71,545,569.10	$8,311,191.31	11.62%	$1,917,367.34
May	$74,470,048.90	$7,974,197.15	10.71%	$1,867,681.29

Latest Updates in the D.C. Sports Betting Sector

October 9, 2024: Between Caesars, FanDuel, and BetMGM reported a combined handle of $178 million (calendar year totals), reflecting a 148% increase year-over-year. (OLG, 2024)
September 16, 2024: The D.C. Office of Lottery and Gaming announced Caesars Sportsbook as the new operator for sports betting kiosks, replacing Intralot across the District. (D.C. Lottery, 2024)
September 12, 2024: Fanatics Sportsbook officially launched in Washington, D.C., bringing the total number of online sportsbooks operating in the District to five. (Fanatics, 2024)
August 27, 2024: The D.C. Attorney General, Brian Schwalb, investigated Intralot for potential False Claims Act violations. (Washington Post, 2024)
July 26, 2024: DraftKings Sportsbook launched in partnership with MLS club D.C. United, increasing the number of sportsbook apps available across the District to four. (DraftKings, 2024)

Growth and Future Outlook

Since 2020, the Washington D.C. sports betting market has grown exponentially from $80 million to over $460 million in 2024. The 2021-2023 fluctuations show the challenge of sustaining growth but the 2024 bounce back suggests those challenges may be behind us.

Washington D.C. sports betting could continue growing if operators add more products, improve the user experience, and market effectively. Mobile betting, competition from neighboring states, and regulatory changes will be key to long-term success.

If the momentum from 2024 continues, the market could surpass half a billion dollars in handle, set new revenue records, and establish D.C. as a player in the regional sports betting landscape.

Professional Sports Teams in Washington D.C.

Washington Commanders (NFL)

The Washington Commanders, who compete in the NFL’s NFC East Division, play their home games at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland. The franchise has a storied history, including multiple Super Bowl championships. The team made a run to the NFC Championship Game in 2024.

Washington Capitals (NHL)

The Capitals represent D.C. in the National Hockey League, competing in the Metropolitan Division. They play home games at Capital One Arena and won their first Stanley Cup championship in 2017-18.

Washington Wizards (NBA)

This Eastern Conference team plays in the Southeast Division and hosts home games at Capital One Arena alongside the Capitals. The Wizards have a strong fan base and a history that includes an NBA championship in 1978.

Washington Nationals (MLB)

The District's Major League Baseball team competes in the National League East and plays their games at Nationals Park. The team secured its first World Series title in 2019.

D.C. United (MLS)

One of Major League Soccer’s original teams, D.C. United plays at Audi Field and has won multiple MLS Cup titles, establishing itself as a historic franchise in the league.

Washington Spirit (NWSL)

Representing D.C. in the National Women’s Soccer League, the Spirit competes at Audi Field and claimed the NWSL Championship in 2021.

Washington Mystics (WNBA)

The Mystics are the city’s WNBA team, playing home games at the Entertainment & Sports Arena. They captured their first WNBA championship in 2019.

The most prominent sportsbook partner in the market is ESPN Bet, which sponsors the Capitals, Wizards, and Mystics (Sportcal, 2025). Another notable partnership is Fanatics Sportsbook, sponsoring the Commanders and Spirit.

Washington, D.C. Snapshot

Key Aspect	Details
Population	Approximately 686,995 residents as of 2024. (World Population Review, 2024)
Political Affiliation	Reliably Democratic District that voted Democrat in the most recent presidential election. (270towin.com , 2024)
Year Sports Betting Legalized	Sports betting first went live in March 2020 (Washington Post, 2020)
Number of Sportsbooks Operating	Six sportsbooks operate in D.C.: betMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, ESPN BET, Fanatics Sportsbook, FanDuel
Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) Q1, 2025	$22.9 million
Sports Betting Handle 2024	$461,560,894.40
Professional Sports Teams	The District of Columbia has a number of professional sports teams, including the Washington Commanders (NFL), Washington Wizards (NBA), Washington Nationals (MLB), Washington Capitals (NHL), D.C. United (MLS), Washington Mystics (WNBA) and Washington Spirit (NWSL)

FAQs

General Questions

When did sports betting become legal in Washington, D.C.?

Sports betting was legalized through the Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act of 2018 and officially became law after congressional approval on May 3, 2019. The market went live in March 2020.

What sportsbooks currently operate in Washington, D.C.?

As of 2024, six sportsbooks operate in D.C.: BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, ESPN BET, Fanatics Sportsbook, and FanDuel.

How much revenue did sports betting generate in Washington, D.C., in 2024?

In 2024, sports betting generated $53.7 million in revenue, the highest recorded in the market’s history.

Where can bettors find retail sportsbooks in Washington, D.C.?

Retail sportsbooks are located at Capital One Arena (Caesars Sportsbook), Nationals Park (BetMGM), Audi Field (FanDuel), and Northwest Stadium (Fanatics Sportsbook).

How does Washington D.C.’s sports betting tax revenue contribute to the city?

In 2024, the District collected $16.3 million in sports betting taxes, and as the market expands, it could continue to provide more revenue that could contribute to the city government's coffers.