Washington DC could allow sportsbetting venues to operate poker and black jack
Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser has put forward a proposal to introduce poker and blackjack tables to the state’s Class A sports betting locations, including Nationals Park, Capital One Arena, and Audi Field.
Termed the Poker and Blackjack Gaming Authorization Act of 2025, the proposal was lodged in the city’s budget proposal. Sportsbetting operators would have to pay $5,000 for a two-year licence, but hotels, bars, and restaurants could also host poker or blackjack tournaments.
Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Nina Albert said: “The District has enjoyed healthy revenues over the last 20 years and has been growing over the last 20 years. Our population has grown, our business base has grown, we want to continue doing that, but at this moment to ensure we’re still collecting tax revenue and, as importantly, have jobs for people to go into, we need to be exploring every avenue of growth, including sports and entertainment. You can have a single marquee event, you can have multiple monthly events, or you can have daily events.”
Ian Thomas, a principal at Offit Kurman who helped oversee the introduction of sports betting in DC, added: “There is an infrastructure that came from sports betting, so I hope this will be a lot more seamless when this happens. What I think is interesting is the opportunity it presents to some of the more local hospitality businesses and a way to grow their businesses. It’s a chance to provide a lifeline to an industry that’s been struggling in this post-COVID world. If you think about extra 10s of thousands of dollars of revenue a year to a bar or restaurant is a really big thing and could be a stimulant to the local economy.”
