The situation with DC sports betting continues to be complex and troublesome, with another delay impacting the districtwide mobile market.
Budget Delay and Its Impact
Mayor Muriel Bowser has yet to sign the new fiscal budget, leaving crucial updates to the DC sports betting law in limbo. As a result, FanDuel, which was subcontracted by the DC Lottery’s partner Intralot to manage districtwide mobile betting, has been unable to operate since Tuesday.
A spokesperson for the mayor’s office told LSR there is no current update on when the budget might be signed.
FanDuel’s Position
FanDuel, the leading sportsbook by market share, is prepared to resume operations as soon as the budget is approved. “FanDuel remains committed to providing the District and its residents with a best-in-class sports betting offering,” a spokesperson said. “Upon final approval of the FY2025 DC Budget, FanDuel will resume its sports betting offering as a Class A operator in partnership with DC United at Audi Field and continue to offer our citywide mobile app to the District of Columbia.”
Other Operators Awaiting Launch
BetMGM and Caesars, which were previously limited to mobile betting under old rules, are also poised to launch districtwide operations. BetMGM declined to comment on the delay, and Caesars did not respond. DraftKings and Fanatics have also indicated their readiness to enter the districtwide mobile betting market.
DC Council’s Efforts
The DC sports betting landscape has been troubled by the no-bid contract awarded to Intralot for the district’s only mobile sportsbook. Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie has been advocating for a competitive mobile market. After years of hearing complaints about GambetDC’s underperformance, exacerbated by the pandemic and a shift to remote work, McDuffie introduced a bill to open up the market. This legislation was incorporated into the budget and approved by the DC Council last month.
FanDuel’s Strong Performance
In contrast to GambetDC’s past performance, FanDuel’s initial operations have been significantly more successful. In May, FanDuel processed 1.2 million bets with a handle of $29.7 million, generating nearly $4.9 million in revenue. This starkly contrasts with GambetDC’s performance in May 2025, where it accepted 162,727 bets totaling $5.4 million in handle and achieved $711,282 in revenue.