The DC Lottery, run by the Government of the District of Columbia, has announced that its sports wagering platform GambetDC is scheduled for launch by the end of May, with gamblers set to be able to place bets by June.
The app, which DC gambling regulators touted for launch in March to coincide with the Major League Baseball season, was pushed back due to the spread of COVID-19 across the globe with the lottery deciding to revise its launch strategy as a result of the suspension to live sports.
Despite most live sports remaining halted in an attempt to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, the Bundesliga, NASCAR, and the UFC have returned, with all three sports receiving betting approval in the District.
As it stands, the PGA Tour is scheduled to resume in the second week of June, while the NBA, NHL, MLB and other European football leagues continue to discuss options for returning to play.
A statement released by the DC Office of Lottery and Gaming, read: “While we recognize there will be a limited number of events to wager on, this ‘soft launch’ will provide us with an opportunity to roll out the GambetDC website to potential players in the District in preparation for the return of sports.
“The website will be available to the general public with this release and the native iOS and Android apps will be unveiled in early June. A full-scale advertising and marketing campaign promoting GambetDC will launch as soon as there is a more robust schedule of major sporting events.”
Originally, the DC Lottery aimed to launch its betting product ast September for the start of the NFL season, however, this was temporarily blocked due to the city facing a lawsuit over the no-bid contract awarded Intralot to oversee mobile betting.
Regarding the GambetDC platform, those 18 and over will be permitted to place bets on the product within city limits except for federal enclaves or within two blocks of Audi Field, Capital One Arena, Nationals Park and Entertainment and Sports Arena.
Horse racing wagers will not be offered through the platform, however, the DC Lottery has confirmed that upon the return of the NFL season, gambling on its matches will be permitted.
