The prospects for legalizing iCasino in Washington, D.C., remain promising, according to industry sources. Despite a looming deadline, the DC Council could still approve the Internet Gaming and Consumer Protection Act of 2026 before the year's end. This legislation, introduced by Councilmember Wendell Felder, aims to permit online casino gaming under the jurisdiction of the Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG) while prohibiting dual-currency sweepstakes casinos.
However, time is of the essence as the current council period concludes on January 2, 2027. The Council's schedule indicates only three remaining legislative meetings in 2026—on November 10, December 1, and December 15. Additionally, Committee of the Whole meetings are set for November 24 and December 15, but the bill must be reviewed by the Committee on Human Services before reaching the full Council. This committee has not acted since the bill's single hearing, which occurred on May 4 and lasted nearly four hours. At that hearing, Councilmember Christina Henderson remarked, "The jury is still out on this."
The timing of this bill’s progression coincides with significant political shifts in the district. Elections for a successor to Mayor Muriel Bowser and various council positions will occur shortly, and if the legislation fails to advance by December 15, it will need to be reintroduced to a partially new Council and a new mayor in 2027.
Felder introduced the iCasino bill in April, noting in his letter that D.C. residents wagered approximately $700 million on unregulated platforms in 2024. He emphasized, "The policy question is whether the District will regulate it effectively or allow it to remain unregulated."
The proposed bill would establish an open market for DC iCasino, without imposing a limit on licenses for operators. A $2 million application fee would be required for a five-year license, with a renewal fee of $500,000 for each subsequent term. Suppliers would pay $50,000 to apply and $25,000 to renew. Operators could generate up to two brands under each license, with the OLG having the authority to approve additional brands.
To participate, players would need to be at least 21 years old, which exceeds the 18-year minimum age for sports betting in the District. The bill also seeks to authorize live-dealer and peer-to-peer gaming, alongside shared wallet capabilities with sports betting accounts, pending OLG approval. Additionally, it would permit reciprocal agreements with other jurisdictions and tax adjusted gross gaming revenue at 25%. Of this revenue, the first $500,000 would be allocated to the Department of Behavioral Health for problem gambling services, with the remainder directed to the General Fund.
In terms of its sweepstakes prohibition, the bill defines a dual-currency gaming product as one that utilizes multiple forms of currency or credits where at least one can be exchanged for cash or prizes. The OLG would be empowered to issue cease-and-desist orders against violations, and the DC Attorney General could pursue legal action, with fines potentially reaching $100,000 per day per violation.
Washington, D.C. began its sports betting journey in 2019, primarily through the DC Lottery, which also served as the single mobile operator for the city. This arrangement faced considerable criticism when the application, GambetDC, failed to generate expected revenues. After FanDuel took over as the main provider in March 2024, gross gaming revenue surged significantly in its first month of operation. By mid-2026, the sports betting market in D.C. reported a 14.7% year-on-year increase in handled bets.
Support for the iCasino initiative has grown among established operators, with DraftKings describing online casinos as a natural progression following the expansion of sports wagering. However, it faces opposition from organizations like Stop Predatory Gambling and ARB Interactive, the latter opposing the sweepstakes ban.
As the debate continues, the future of iCasino in Washington, D.C., hinges on the political climate and the responsiveness of the Council in the coming weeks.
