On Tuesday afternoon, lawmakers in the District of Columbia passed a bill that legalizes sports betting within its boundaries. Choctaw casino durant ok poker tournaments.
Gambling winnings report to irs. You must report all gambling winnings as 'Other Income' on Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR PDF (use Schedule 1 (Form 1040 or 1040-SR) PDF), including winnings that aren't reported on a Form W-2G PDF. When you have gambling winnings, you may be required to pay an estimated tax on that additional income.
The Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act of 2018 rewrites the DC books to permit both retail and online/mobile sports gambling. The DC sports betting bill is subject to Congressional review, but an emergency measure also passed separately to allow for preparations in the interim.
The signature of Mayor Muriel Bowser is now the last immediate hurdle remaining, and she is not expected to veto the bill.
Does not authorize or license online gambling companies to run online gambling businesses in its territory. Simultaneously, it has no law stating that it is illegal for its residents to sign up at offshore online gambling sites that accept its residents. Is Online Poker / Gambling Legal in Washington DC? Washington, DC is not a state. It is the capital city of the United States of America, and is a property unto itself. It does not lie within any other state’s borders, so its gambling laws are unlike anything else you’ll find in America.
Lawmakers pass DC sports betting bill
The relevant bill (B 22-944) came up for its hearing midafternoon, with the sponsor presenting his proposal.
“We’re venturing into new territory with sports gaming,” Councilmember Jack Evans said. “I’m very excited that the District will be out of the box if this passes today.” He reiterated his desire to beat surrounding states Virginia and Maryland into the market.
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Proceedings in the chamber were complicated slightly by the addition of three amendments, two of which did not appear critical to passage. One was important to operators, though: a proposal to leave data requirements to regulatory rules rather than burn them into the law’s language. The third (and seemingly most pivotal) amendment centered around the inclusion of disadvantaged and minority-owned businesses.
Although it passed, support for DC sports betting was not unanimous. Councilmember David Grasso provided the primary voice of opposition, citing concerns about problem gambling and mental health. In the end, the vote tally was 11-2.
The emergency bill now moves to the mayor for approval, while the permanent bill will go to US Congress for a 60-day review.
What will DC sports betting look like?
At its roots, DC sports betting will follow a lottery-operated framework similar to Delaware sports betting. The existing agency (District of Columbia Lottery and Charitable Games Control Board) will be rebranded as the new Office of Lottery and Gaming and charged with regulating and administering the industry.
In practice, though, the District’s product will look nothing like the ones in Delaware or Rhode Island (or any other state’s so far.)
As passed, the bill authorizes both land-based and online/mobile sports betting, which sets it off on a firm footing. A reasonable tax rate of 10 percent on revenue also suggests an effort to foster a competitive marketplace. Ten percent is on the lower end of the scale among states with legal sports betting — particularly lottery-based states.
The bill does not exclude betting on any particular sport or league, so regulations will determine those specifics. Folks directly involved in sports; however, like athletes and coaches, are not permitted to wager on their own league.
Mobile betting will primarily be offered through the lottery’s platform, powered by Intralot. There are, however, some apparent exceptions.
Class A licensees
In addition to District-wide mobile betting, the law authorizes retail sportsbooks inside four sports venues:
- Capital One Arena
- Audi Field
- Nationals Park
- St. Elizabeths East Entertainment and Sports Arena
These “designated facilities” are the only ones allowed to obtain Class A licenses.
Capital One Arena is home to the local NBA and NHL franchises, and the hometown MLB team plays its games at Nationals Park. The two other facilities host smaller professional leagues — MLS at Audi Field and WNBA at St. Elizabeths East. Interestingly, language that would have included the aging RFK Stadium in the above list was stricken.
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The current language is somewhat vague, but each appears to be permitted to offer on-site mobile betting using either in-house or third-party platforms. That language reads like Mississippi‘s version of mobile: on-site only.
Each will enjoy a two-block exclusivity zone, inside of which no competition is allowed. These licenses cost $250,000 apiece and are valid for five years.
This provision should be especially enticing for local mogul Ted Leonsis, who owns the two pro teams that play at Capital One. In recent months, Leonsis has become a vocal proponent of bringing sports and gambling together inside arenas and stadiums.
Class B licensees and retail
Outside those zones, other establishments may apply to offer wagering as Class B licensees. They receive the same options as Class A facilities, minus the two-block exclusivity.
Class B sports betting licenses are also valid for five years, but they come at a discounted cost of $50,000. More limited two-year retail licenses cost $5,000 apiece.
Incidentally, the District occupies 68 square miles of terrain — or around 7,000 total blocks.
How did DC sports betting come to pass?
The idea of DC sports betting first appeared publicly in mid-September when Evans indicated he would present his proposal to the Council.
Things happened quickly in the months since. Here’s the timeline from start to finish:
- Sep. 18: Evans publishes a press release indicating he has filed a sports betting bill (B 22-944).
- Oct. 2: The sponsor offers additional details, expressing openness to in-arena betting and integrity fees.
- Oct. 17: About 15 stakeholders testify during a public hearing, each working to shape the final version of the bill.
Pretty standard stuff so far. But then things started to get interesting:
- Nov. 27: The night before the bill’s first committee hearing, Evans proposes amendments that include payment of an integrity fee to sports leagues. His goal is to trade those fees for the use of official league data.
- Nov. 28: Nobody supports the proposal. The committee pushes back hard on the royalty fee, removing that section before advancing the bill to the full Council.
- Dec. 3: In what would have been an unthinkable union a few months ago, leagues and operators team up to lobby for a new “license fee” akin to the royalty/integrity fee. They make no provision for data usage in exchange.
- Dec. 3: That lobbying alliance unites to push back against a proposed single-operator model administered by Intralot. A document obtained by LSR reveals that Intralot is wildly exaggerating its revenue projections, and reporting from District Dig raises questions about Evans’ motives.
- Dec. 4: Evans’ bill advances through its first reading by a 10-2 vote. The single-operator model sticks.
And on Dec. 18, the bill passes, barring any pushback from the mayor or Congress.
Washington DC is known as the capital of the United States, but with it encompassing such a small area it often goes overlooked and is more commonly associated as being part of Virginia or Maryland. Being so close to the Federal government, most people are under the impression that gambling is frowned upon, but such is not really the case. There are plenty of gambling options for those who live in the District of Columbia, and those options seem to be on the verge of expanding.
Being such a small area, there are also plenty of gambling options in the surrounding areas as well. This means that those living in the DC region have plenty of options to play their favorite casino games.
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Legal Status of Online Casinos & Gambling — Washington DC
Currently, there are no local laws that make it illegal for residents of the District of Columbia to gamble online. Though there is no established intra-regional online casino network, there are hundreds of online casinos offering their services to Washington DC residents. In recent years, lawmakers who call the District home have been pushing to legalized online casino play in order to bring in some extra revenue.
At this current juncture, the online casinos existing and available to Washington DC residents are all based and headquartered offshore, in other countries. At first, this may raise a few red flags as many people have their concerns about handing over financial information to unregulated foreign entities. Though this is an understandable concern, the reality is that little to none of the casinos available in DC are suspicious or untrustworthy. In fact, a simply internet search will show you that most every casino able to be accessed in DC is a trusted operator.
Not only that, but these operators keep up with the cutting edge technology that is constantly inundating the online casino scene. A testament to this is the wide range of casinos that are able to be accessed on mobile devices. No matter whether you are playing on a smartphone or tablet, the fact is that you will be hard-pressed to find one site that does not have some sort of mobile offering. So while the lack of regulation may make you feel like you are being left behind gamblers from other jurisdictions, nothing could be further from the truth.
For those who may not know, Washington DC is a fairly poor city and has plenty of infrastructural issues. This is why there is such a strong push to legalize online casinos, tax them, and use the money to help rebuild the city; after all, rebuilding is something that needs to take place. So far, most moves to legalize online casinos have not really moved far simply because DC falls under the jurisdiction of the Federal US government, and for those who are not familiar with US politics, the Federal Government often moves very slow on matters such as these. Still, there is hope being held out that DC will move to legalize online casinos sometime in the near future.
Legal Status of Brick and Mortar Casinos — Washington DC
Right now, there are on brick and mortar gambling establishments in the District of Columbia. First of all, the District of Columbia is so small and so densely populated that there isn’t much room for a casino to exist. Despite this, there has been talks on Capitol Hill about establishing a government-run brick and mortar casino sometime in the near future. Naturally, and as seen by the persistent lack of brick and mortar gambling options, these talks have not really gained much traction.
With Maryland and Virginia, which border DC to the North and South respectively, having some fairly lax casino laws, Washington DC is growing tired of seeing potential gambling revenue cross over borders. It is estimated that, each year, millions of dollars are spent on gambling in neighboring states. Those millions of dollars represent additional revenue streams that could help DC in more ways than one. Up to this point, however, very few people are willing to acknowledge the good that legalized gambling can do for the District; people would rather solely focus on the bad. It will be interesting to see in the future if casinos make an appearance in DC, but for now that seems unlikely due to the slow nature of politics in DC. Being the center of American politics you would think that legislation would move along quickly, but that is actually the opposite of what the reality of DC is.
Washington DC Online Casinos & Gambling FAQ
Will I be arrested by the Federal Government for having played at online casinos in DC?
No. While it is true that there are no laws making online casinos legal in Washington DC, there are also no laws that make it illegal. Like many other parts of the United States, online casinos in DC exist in a bit of a grey area. So long as the online casino itself is based offshore or out of the District, it is completely legal for you to play your favorite casino games at it.
Can I play online poker in DC?
Yes. There are plenty of online casinos that specialize in online poker. While most online casinos nowadays do well to offer some sort of poker play, there are other online casinos that are specifically known for their online poker offering. If you are strictly a poker player, it would behoove you to seek these sites out as they are much better for poker-only players.
Will my cashouts be questioned or seized?
Once again, because DC is where the US government is based so many people have a fear that they will wind up behind bars for having gambled at an online casino in Washington DC. The fact of the matter is that so long as you play at a reputable online casino you will have no issues when it comes to cashing out funds. In most cases, you can cash out 1 of 2 ways. The first option is to receive a check in the mail. This process can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. The other option is to receive a direct bank transfer, and this process can be executed in just a few hours.
Will online casinos become legalized soon?
This is tough to say. While many people would like to see this happen, passing such a broad-based, controversial piece of legislation is something that cannot happen overnight. So while we are holding out hope that it will be legalized, we are also not holding out breath.