Washington, D.C Online Gambling Sites 2024
Washington D.C. online gambling sites are an easier topic to navigate than many people think, and an important one as well. Online gambling in D.C. is available internationally, and is easily accessible. This comes despite the fact that D.C. is very unfriendly toward most forms of gambling, both brick-and-mortar and online. There are no licensed casinos or card rooms in D.C., and the only D.C.-sanctioned forms of online gambling are pari-mutuel wagering, sports betting, and daily fantasy sports.
Thankfully, USA online gambling sites are still available through regulated international gambling sites that serve as Washington, D.C.’s best online gambling platforms. These sites offer every form of gambling you can possibly imagine, from poker to bingo to sudoku to sports betting. While gambling online is not regulated by Washington, D.C. laws, those laws do not cover online gambling platforms that are based in other countries, meaning that these D.C. online gambling sites are fair game for all D.C. area bettors.
StateWashington, DC
Population705,749
Largest Gambling CitiesWashington D.C.
Number Of Land Based CasinosNone in DC, plenty in DMV area
Gambling RevenueNone
State Licensed DFSYes
State Licensed Sports BettingYes
Land Based Poker RoomsNone in DC, plenty in DMV area
Lottery ServicesNo
Mobile Betting OptionsDaily Fantasy
Best Washington, D.C Gambling Sites
There are dozens of different international gambling sites available to D.C. bettors, and it can be daunting to even think about researching all of them to determine where to spend your money. That’s where we come in. We create 2024 USA gambling sites reviews so you can start winning faster, without worrying about whether or not you’ve chosen the right site. Through our review process, we narrow down the extensive list of gambling sites to a handful of high-quality sites—the best of the best.
The sites we recommend do not constitute every available Washington D.C. online gambling site—they are a curated list of the best sites that are worthy of consideration. Most gambling sites do not meet important baseline standards of quality like good security and customer service and are thus not worth considering. We find the best handful of sites, then provide our readers with the information they need to come to an informed decision about which of those sites best suits their individual needs.
Best Online Sportsbooks
Top Online Casinos In The USA
Best Online Poker Sites That Accept US Players
How We Pick The Best Washington, D.C Gambling Sites
Different Types Of Online Gambling In Washington, D.C
Online gambling is heavily restricted in Washington, D.C. The only forms of online gambling permitted by D.C. law are pari-mutuel wagering and daily fantasy sports, but even pari-mutuel wagering is restricted by the lack of operating horse racing tracks in the state. But through international Washington D.C. gambling sites, players in D.C. can wager on sports, poker, blackjack, or anything they can imagine. The rule is: if you can gamble on it at a casino, you can gamble on it online.
Washington, D.C Online Casinos
Washington, D.C., true to its reputation as a non-gambler-friendly territory, does not have any licensed casinos within its borders. The only USA online casinos available to D.C. residents are those based in other countries, like Ignition and Roaring 21. These casinos offer a world-class betting experience, including live dealer games in the US, and have far greater financial capability than domestic casinos, so the experience doesn’t suffer because of D.C.’s online casino restrictions. In fact, online casinos offer an unquestionably superior experience to brick-and-mortar casinos.
Benefits of Washington, D.C Online Casinos:
Best Washington D.C. Casinos
Ignition casino has been serving as one of the premier online casinos for Washington D.C. residents for several years and will continue to be one of those options for years to come. That is thanks to all of the benefits that come with playing casino games on Ignition like big paying bonuses, several different table games, and all of the slots that you can think of. They are also regarded as one of the safest casinos as well with multiple encryptions locking down all of your personal information and web browser.
Washington, D.C Online Sportsbooks
Washington, D.C. regulated sports betting in 2018, and Gambet DC is up and running now. However, bettors have complained about the quality of odds offered on Gambet DC. In addition, they can place wagers using USA online sportsbooks, which are the ideal online sports betting option for D.C. bettors. These international sites offer game lines, parlays and live betting on thousands of events and dozens of leagues throughout the world. They also feature huge bonuses, easy banking with cryptocurrency, and a number of other quality of life improvements that make them unquestionably superior to a traditional casino sports betting experience.
Benefits of Washington, D.C Sportsbooks:
Top Washington D.C. Sportsbooks
With sports betting a fast growing industry in Washington D.C., you should be using the best sportsbook that there is which is Bovada. You can bet on all of your favorite teams and sports and take advantage of all different sorts of odds that they have to offer that aren’t just gamelines and futures odds. You’ll find plenty of different player props and game props as well that offer the same if not more value than some of the other books.
Washington, D.C Online Poker Sites
Washington, D.C. does not feature state-licensed poker, online or otherwise. Online poker is available in D.C., but only through internationally based websites. There are no poker rooms in D.C., so it isn’t surprising to see a lack of regulated poker options. D.C.’s loss is their citizens’ gain, as online poker sites in the US are easy, lucrative, and fun. To play online poker, players simply download the poker software from their gambling site of choice. This grants them access to multiple variants of online poker, both against other human players around the world and against a computer-controlled dealer.
Benefits of Washington, D.C Online Poker:
Best Poker Rooms In Washington D.C.
Playing poker in Washington D.C. doesn’t have to include long wait times to play. At Ignition, you’ll never have to go through the hassle of waiting to play poker in a poker room again. They have several hundreds of seats always open for their cash games that you sit and go whenever you want to play. Their tournaments are also some of the best in the country as they give out millions of dollars in prizes.
Washington, D.C Online DFS
Daily fantasy sports (DFS) are very popular in Washington, D.C. With nearby NFL, NHL, NBA and MLB franchises, D.C. is home to a huge number of sports fans, and DFS games are one of the best ways for fans to engage with their favorite sports and teams. DFS games are like traditional fantasy, except that lineups reset after every game. This grants DFS added flexibility and minimizes frustration. DFS games can be played for real money, including tournaments with prizes in the thousands of dollars. All major daily fantasy sports sites in the USA are legal and operate in D.C.
Benefits of Washington, D.C Online DFS:
Washington, D.C Online Bingo
Washington, D.C. offers charity bingo, but online bingo is unfortunately not supported by the state. International online casinos often offer bingo games, however. Popular variants include 30- and 80-ball bingo, but other specialty variants of the game exist as well and experience varying degrees of popularity. USA online bingo sites have a number of advantages over traditional bingo, including shorter games, no requirements of waiting for a hundred people to organize before playing, and the comfort of playing casually from home.
Benefits of Washington, D.C Online Bingo:
Top Bingo Sites In Washington D.C.
Slots.lv is home to several different bingo games that you can play and win with different forms of victory. If you are used to the classic bingo games, have no worries as they have all of those as well with all of the same rules. Unlike the normal bingo halls, you can purchase them with cryptocurrency and other forms of online banking and even use promotional funds to purchase them as well. Other than cash prizes, there are also casino rewards that you can win from bingo.
Washington, D.C Online Lottery
D.C. features a very well-developed state lottery, but it does not sell lottery tickets online yet, unfortunately. Only six states offer online lottery ticket sales, and no U.S. territories. There are 10 available draw games in D.C. and a number of scratch-offs, instant play games, and more. On top of that, there are many USA online lottery ticket sites that offer scratch-offs, keno, and other lottery-style games in Washington D.C.
Best Lottery Sites In Washington D.C.
Playing the lottery online in Washington D.C. comes very easy as Bovada has tons of scratch-off tickets that you can purchase and win big money prizes on. They have 14 scratch games to be exact and each of them have at least a $100k jackpot prize. Bovada also has prizes like casino rewards that offer free spins on slots or bonus games in their casino. You can purchase these scratch cards with up to five different forms of cryptocurrency.
Washington, D.C Online Horse Racing
Horse betting, or pari-mutuel wagering, as it is more commonly referred as, is available in Washington, D.C. There are two state-licensed online horse betting platforms—TVG and Twin Spires. Unfortunately, there are no longer any operational horse racing tracks in the state. Instead, USA horse betting sites offer a superior alternative, with more prop bets, more player-friendly race lines, and odds on races all over the world. They also offer great promotions and bonuses and the ability to parlay your horse bets with bets on other sports.
Benefits of Washington, D.C Online Horse Racing:
Top Washington D.C. Racebooks
Betting on horse races is one of the most popular bets that you can make in Washington D.C. and Bovada is home to one of the top racebooks. They offer odds on any and all horse races that you can think of including the Preakness Stakes down to daily races that are run at tracks around the world. The most beneficial thing here also is that you can get in on futures odds for big races way in advance before the pool of horses is officially set.
Washington, D.C Online Slots
Like other forms of online casino gaming, slots are only legal in D.C. through licensed international online casinos like Ignition and Slots.lv. Slots have maintained their massive popularity in the United States because of their simplicity, and that simply translates to online slots as well. Online slots grant additional flexibility to players, however, including the ability to adjust your bet level without changing machines, the ability to play tournament style games with other players, and hundreds of different slots options all in one location. Whether you prefer to stick to one favorite slot or vary your choices depending on the day, USA online slots sites have something to suit your needs.
Benefits of Washington, D.C Online Slots:
Is It Legal To Use Bovada In Washington, D.C.?
Bovada is one of the premier online sportsbooks apps and online casino websites on the planet. For this reason, a lot of people in DC want to know if it is legal for them to use it to bet on teams like the Washington Wizards. The basic way that it works is that the state does not sanction any kind of betting outside of a very few options, so many sports bettors use outside Washington D.C. gambling websites like Bovada. These websites are fully accessible from anywhere in Washington, D.C., and are totally fine to use from a consumer end, because instead of targeting people, the laws in the District are targeted at unlawful gambling providers.
Mobile Gambling In Washington, D.C
Washington, D.C. is finally beginning to dip its toes into the waters of mobile gambling, but the state-licensed offerings on tap pale in comparison to those of international Washington D.C. gambling sites. Through a combination of intrastate and international gambling sites, D.C. residents can access every form of gambling imaginable using their smartphones and tablets. Legal forms of mobile gambling sites in the USA include poker, sports betting, blackjack, bingo, and many more.
Mobile Sports Betting Apps
The D.C. Lottery has finally finished the development of its dedicated sports betting app, Gambet DC. It is available now on both mobile devices and computers. In addition, there are online international sportsbooks available on mobile devices as well. These international sportsbooks invest a lot of money into developing full mobile sites that are compatible with all their sports betting types and features. Sites like MyBookie and Bovada offer mobile sites that are much more fleshed out and enjoyable than any dedicated app could ever be.
Mobile Casinos Apps
International Washington D.C. gambling sites do a great job offering fully optimized mobile sites to all D.C. players. These mobile sites have an interface functionally similar to an app and grant players access to all forms of casino gaming available on the full site, although they can’t offer downloadable apps in American app stores. Some of the best mobile casino sites are those of major online companies like Bovada and Ignition.
Real Money Online Gambling Sites In Washington, D.C
Despite state-level restrictions, it is perfectly legal to gamble with real money in Washington, D.C., meaning you can both win and lose real money as well. Most real money gambling sites in the US accept traditional payment methods like debit or credit cards, and some also accept major e-wallet services like PayPal. It is recommended that you handle your online gambling banking with cryptocurrency, however, as withdrawals can’t work directly through your bank. Crypto offers huge rewards for players and the fastest and most hassle-free online gambling banking.
Free Online Gambling In Washington, D.C
There are a handful of free online gambling options in Washington, D.C. The most popular one is daily fantasy, which is played by millions around the country. Free Washington D.C. daily fantasy games allow players to go head-to-head and prove their expertise while simultaneously engaging more with their favorite sporting events. Free play apps can also be fun, but their better alternative is free versions of real money casino games, which some gambling sites offer. These free US gambling sites are a great way to test the systems and payout rates before risking real money with an online casino.
Is Online Gambling Legal In Washington, D.C?
Online gambling is legal in Washington, D.C., but almost exclusively through international gambling websites that don’t fall under D.C.’s jurisdiction. The only forms of permissible gambling in D.C., per the Code of the District of Columbia, § 22–1717, are bingo, raffles, and pre-approved charity and educational games. There was also a pre-existing exception for pari-mutuel wagering, but that seems a moot point in a state without horse racing. Forms of gambling not explicitly deemed legal are interpreted to be illegal and are regulated as such, meaning that in-state operators can’t offer any forms of online gambling.
Sports betting was legalized in December 2018 with the passage of B 22-944, which authorized both retail and online sports betting. Sports betting still has not launched, however, as there are no licensed retail facilities in D.C. and the online D.C. Lottery sports betting app has repeatedly run into complications that have delayed its launch. Online poker was briefly legalized in 2011, but after much controversy, that bill was repealed and D.C. was never actually able to get the online gambling industry off the ground. D.C.’s status as the nation’s capital makes legalizing online gambling tricky, as all city-level bills must pass through a rigorous vetting progress from the National Congress.
Online Gambling Laws In Washington, D.C
All forms of gambling were illegal in Washington, D.C. until 1982, when the Council created the District Lottery, which oversaw a territory-wide lottery as well as various charity games. In 2011, D.C. made an unprecedented decision to legalize online poker, but this was just before the Black Friday shutdowns would turn poker into such a controversial nationwide topic. Although the U.S. Congress had the ability to veto the bill within 30 days of its passage, they declined to do so, and it passed. But after questions arose about the ethics of one of the bill's main proponents, the Washington, D.C. City Council repealed the bill. D.C. could have been one of the top online gambling territories in the country, but instead, it is roughly in line with the majority of states.
Legal Gambling Age In Washington, D.C
Washington, D.C. uses a universal legal gambling age of 18 years old. While the available types of gambling are limited in D.C., those that do exist are at least available to wide swathes of young residents because of these streamlined laws. International online gambling sites require all players to be the legal gambling age in the US, meaning players must be at least 18 years old. Sites won’t require proof of age when players sign up, but they will require a government-issued ID to be presented before they allow players to withdraw their winnings.- Lottery: 18
- Parimutuel: 18
- Casinos: 18
- Bingo: 18
- Online Poker: 18
- DFS: 18
- Sports Betting: 18
Where Are Washington, D.C Gambling Sites Regulated?
Washington D.C. gambling sites, with the exception of the D.C. Lottery sports betting app, are regulated by the federal laws of their country of origin. State and American federal law only apply to these sites in a minimal capacity. International gambling site regulations are generally less strict than those in the United States, but they still take great steps to protect consumers. Encryption, security, transparency, and fair payout rates are mandated with all major online gambling sites, and without these things, players would abandon online gambling en masse.
Who Can Play At Washington, D.C Online Gambling Sites?
The online gambling sites available to Washington, D.C. players are available to most, if not all residents of the United States. Certain sites restrict membership and don’t allow accounts to be registered in certain states—usually casino-heavy states like Nevada and New Jersey—but most sites cater to players from all over the U.S. The same gambling sites available in D.C. are the gambling sites for Maryland, Virginia, Texas, California, and every other state.
Taxes On Gambling Winnings In Washington, D.C
Gambling winnings tax in Washington, D.C. : 25% (federal) + 4 to 8.95% (D.C. income tax)
Gambling winnings in D.C. are taxed as income, meaning they are taxed between 4 and 8.95% depending on your overall level of income. Gambling winnings are also taxed at a flat 25% federal rate regardless of where the bettor lives, meaning the total tax rate can be up to 33.95%. This applies whether the money was won with a domestic gambling platform or an international one. It is highly advised that you report gambling winnings on your taxes. Failing to do so is a felony.
Gambling Revenue In Washington, D.C
D.C.’s limited gambling operators are not required to publicly disclose their gambling revenues, and it’s hard to come up with an accurate estimation technique for D.C. because there are not other states that are really comparable to it. With no casinos, no active racetracks, and no developed sports betting available yet, the revenue for state-licensed gambling is likely on the low end— in the single-digit millions of dollars perhaps. But with over 700,000 people in the state, those revenues would likely explode in the event of new gambling legislation.
Future Of Washington, D.C Online Gambling
Washington, D.C. doesn’t appear likely to improve its online gambling offerings in the near future. The Council of D.C. hasn’t expressed any interest in enacting legislative change to expand online gambling. In the post-COVID economy, it is possible that D.C. officials could look to legalized sports betting as a way to recoup lost tax revenues, but their past actions indicate that expanded Washington D.C. gambling sites is likely one of the least likely methods of addressing that problem in 2024.