District of Columbia Sports Betting: Best Legal Sportsbooks

Is sports betting legal in Washington DC?

Yes. The District of Columbia legalised sports betting through legislation passed by the DC Council in late 2018, and wagering began in 2020. The Office of Lottery and Gaming, which also runs the DC Lottery, regulates the market. Unusually for the US, the minimum age in DC is 18 rather than 21.

DC's model has changed several times. It began with a lottery-run app, GambetDC, which struggled with uncompetitive odds and was replaced in 2024. Alongside the lottery app, the law created licences for operators based at the city's major sports venues, known as Class A licences, and smaller Class B licences for bars and restaurants.

BetMGM in the nation's capital

Of the three sportsbooks we review, only BetMGM is licensed in DC. It holds its licence through its partnership with the Washington Nationals and runs a retail sportsbook at Nationals Park. Originally, stadium-based operators could only accept mobile bets within a short radius of their venue, but a later change to DC law allowed them to offer mobile betting across most of the District, and BetMGM expanded accordingly.

bet365 and BetRivers are not available. Because DC borders Maryland and Virginia, where both of those brands are licensed, many bettors who commute across the river can legally use them while physically in those states.

Geolocation quirks and local rules

A large share of DC is federal land, including the National Mall, the White House grounds and many federal buildings. Sportsbook apps block wagers on federal property, so you may fail a location check in parts of the city even though you are within the District.

DC law also prohibits wagering on games involving the District's own college teams, so Georgetown, George Washington, American and Howard games are off the board on licensed DC apps.

Because DC allows betting from 18 while Maryland and Virginia require bettors to be 21, younger adults should be especially careful near the District line: an account that works downtown will not accept bets once your phone places you in Arlington or Silver Spring, and operators in those states will not let under-21s open accounts at all.

Sports in the District and getting help

With the Commanders, Wizards, Capitals, Nationals, Mystics and DC United, Washington has a full calendar of home teams, and Capital One Arena and Nationals Park are both betting destinations on game nights.

The DC Lottery promotes responsible play, and confidential help is available at 1-800-GAMBLER. Licensed apps also let you set deposit and time limits.