D.C. lawmakers vote to legalise sports betting
The Council voted 11-2 in favour of the bill that legalises sports betting, and it now needs the signature of the Mayor.
US.- Lawmakers from the capital of the United States voted on Tuesday in favour of a bill that legalises sports betting. The legislative piece only needs the signature of the Mayor in order to be effective and authorise sportsbooks in D.C.
The territory is set to become the first in the country without casinos to legalise sports betting. As there is no casino commission, it is expected that the D.C. Lottery would oversee sports betting operations, and would sell licences to sports books at stadiums and arenas for US$250k for five years, while retailers would be eligible to get a two-year licence for US$5k. The current lottery vendor of the D.C. Lottery is Intralot.
After the measure got approved, lawmakers were quick to pass emergency language in order for sports betting to start as soon as Mayor Muriel E. Bowser signs the legislation. Anyone 18 or older can place bets on sporting events.
Operators would be taxed 10% of total revenue, and it is predicted by the Office of the Chief Financial Officer that legal sports betting will bring US$92 million over the next four years. Most of that number would go to the general fund of the territory.
Furthermore, as the District doesn’t have casinos, the legislation allows bets on sports at sports venues like Nationals Park and Capital One Arena, private establishments like restaurants and liquor stores or anywhere in the city using a mobile app. The D.C. Lottery would have the exclusive rights to operate the app, and some industry executives doubt the benefits of it.
Sara Slane, vice president of the American Gaming Association (AGA), said: “While the vote today is progress, we remain deeply concerned about giving the lottery a virtual monopoly in the mobile market. Predictably, this will result in less investment and innovation, to the detriment of consumers and the ability of a nascent legal marketplace to compete with the accessibility and convenience offered by many established illegal wagering operations.”
On the other hand, the lottery explained that no competition for the mobile app would maximise revenue for the city, and lawmakers said that they weren’t opposed to eventually allowing private business into the mobile market.
