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FanDuel is now available in the District of Columbia.
The nation's market leading sportsbook will serve as the only app taking bets on sports in DC.
FanDuel does represent a significant improvement over what the district previously offered.
GamBetDC had previously served as the exclusive sports betting vendor here but was mired in controversy.
DC officials grew even more outspoken last year that Intralot, the firm running GambetDC, wasn't living up to the terms of its deal. Intralot, in turn, blamed VSC, its politically connected subcontractor. VSC is short for Veterans Services Corporation, the small firm run by political insider Emmanuel Bailey.
The D.C. regulators further asserted that Interlot, which won the District's controversial $215 million sports betting contract back in 2019, continued to violate the terms of its deal with the city by not sending enough work to Bailey’s firm
Veterans Services Corp. has been a lottery and gambling subcontractor for more than a decade.
Veterans Services Corp. has played a central role in running the DC Lottery for the last 12 years as a subcontractor for the Greek company Intralot.
In the end, what we were left with was a substandard sportsbook that few played with. Those who did often described the product as "glitchy" while still others took full advantage of the poor bookmaking only to find themselves penalized later on. DC even had to enact an "emergency amendment" at one point to set limits on winning players at area kiosks.
“FanDuel’s industry-leading offering will ensure that the District maximizes revenue under its existing contracts this year while delivering a best-in-class experience for 18+ residents,” Frank Suarez, executive director of the Office of the Lottery and Gaming (OLG), previously said.
FanDuel is expecting to bring up to $119 million in tax revenue for D.C. over the next five years.
FanDuel already operates in neighboring Virginia and Maryland where it has generated just over $250 million in each of those states.
- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com
