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Washington D.C. lawmakers are looking at a real-money online casino bill that would legalize iGaming, tax operators, and shut out sweepstakes-style casino products.
The plan would cover adults 21 and older on nonfederal land in the District. Eligible players could access online blackjack, poker, roulette, and slot-style games through licensed platforms.
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Councilmember Wendell Felder built the bill around a simple claim: D.C. players already use online casino sites, but many do so through offshore operators.
He wrote: “If the activity is already happening, the District should be the one setting the rules.”
FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, and other iGaming operators backed that case during a nearly three-hour city council hearing Monday. They said Washington customers spend an estimated $700 million a year on unlicensed offshore iCasino platforms.
Legal operators also pointed to safer gambling controls. The bill would require deposit limits, loss caps, time restrictions, cooling-off periods, self-exclusion tools, default limits for new accounts, staff training, and tighter marketing rules.
However, opponents saw the same bill very differently. Problem gambling and responsible gambling witnesses warned that online casino legalization could deepen losses for residents already under financial pressure.
Les Bernal, national director of Stop Predatory Gambling, said: “This is like putting Dracula in charge of the blood bank.”
The Office of Lottery and Gaming would regulate the market. OLG officials supported most of the regulatory language Monday but did not fully back or reject online casino legalization.
Licensing would stay open, with no fixed operator cap. BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, FanDuel, Fanatics, and theScore Bet already run mobile sports betting in D.C. and could seek iCasino approval. More casino and sportsbook brands could apply as well. Each operator would usually get two approved gaming brands unless regulators allow more.
A separate section targets sweepstakes casinos. The bill bans “sweepstakes gaming” and dual-currency systems that look like casino gambling without standard gambling regulation. The attorney general could use cease-and-desist orders, injunctions, and fines of up to $100,000 per violation. Repeat cases could bring higher penalties.
Several sweepstakes casino representatives testified against the proposal.
No vote followed the hearing. The full 13-person council must approve the bill before it can become law. If passed, the city CFO would have 90 days to set rules, and a launch could come within 180 days after regulatory systems are ready. Several operators said they could launch within six months.
Washington D.C. would join eight states with legal real-money iCasino. New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Michigan are the only U.S. markets with more than five iCasino operators.
Felder wrote: “Inaction carries real consequences. Consumers remain exposed to risk, and the District falls behind neighboring jurisdictions that are moving forward.”