Despite the controversies, DC sports betting licensing process will start on December 3. DC Lottery estimated it would take between 30 and 45 days to review the applications and approve licenses for management service providers, suppliers, and operators.

Although DC gave the monopoly on mobile sports betting to Intralot, the District offers licenses for both land-based and mobile wagering in sports arenas and other venues that want to provide retail wagering. However, their main business should not be sports betting.

Restaurants and bars can apply for mobile betting licenses. However, players must be within the venues’ premises to make bets.

Start of DC Sports Betting Licensing

Capital One Arena will be one of the stadiums applying for a sports betting license. Monumental Sports and Entertainment, owner of the NHL Capitals and NBA Wizards, teamed up with William Hill to provide sports betting in the arena.

According to DC sports betting rules, venues with a partner that has a license elsewhere in the nation can start operations early through a provisional license. At the same time, regulators are processing their primary application.

The Lottery wanted to launch the Intralot mobile sports betting app in January. However, their timeline changed and announced that it would launch sometime in the first quarter of the next year, according to reports from sportsbook pay per head reviews and news sites.

According to a political forum, a lawsuit challenged the contract with Intralot. As a result, an injunction temporarily stopped the development of the mobile sportsbook software. Although the case is still pending, a judge lifted the order last October. Thus, work on the app resumed.

Geolocation is proving to be a challenge in app development. According to sportsbook pay per head services providers, DC rules don’t allow the use of apps on federally owned property. Also, mobile sports betting is not permitted within two blocks of an arena licensed for the activity.