Capital One Arena could host a sportsbook

The home of the NBA’s Washington Wizards could become the first one to have an active sportsbook.

US.- Ted Leonsis, owner of the NBA team Washington Wizards, revealed on Wednesday his intentions to put a sportsbook inside the Capital One Arena, the stadium where the team plays. If approved, it would be the first of its kind in the country.

“There will be a sportsbook inside the building accessible from the outside and depending on the league and depending on the event, it might be accessible from the inside as well,” said Leonsis, after appearing on a panel at the American Gaming Association’s Sports Betting Executive Summit in Maryland, Acton Network confirmed.

Monumental Sports & Entertainment, a company that Leonsis owns, acquired The Greene Turtle sports bar, which is located at the bottom floor of the building that houses the Capital One Arena.

Leonsis said that a brick-and-mortar operation partner is key to maintain integrity. “I don’t think people are going to come to us and say, ‘The guy missed a 3-point shot, I didn’t cover the spread,’” Leonsis said. “We need to find a partner that says, ‘Yes, that’s what we want to do too and not just want to do the cookie cutter,” Leonsis added.

The owner of the Washington Wizards is no stranger to the gambling industry. In fact, he has investments in many companies, such as DraftKings and WinView.

Washington DC approved sports betting earlier this year. The bill was passed by the DC Council in December and is soon to be enforced after a review period carried out by the Congress. The council gave the rights to run a mobile app to Intralot, which is already in charge of the D.C. Lottery.