Caesars announced on Tuesday it will install 53 betting kiosks at small businesses throughout Washington D.C.
The kiosks will replace those operated by GambetDC, the former D.C. sports betting operator that held a monopoly over the market. Caesars was granted permission from the Office of Lottery and Gaming on Monday.
A Caesars statement said that users will gain access to thousands of betting markets, and they can make cash deposits to their Caesars sportsbook mobile accounts.
GambetDC underachieved nearly from the onset. It enjoyed sole control of the capital’s sports betting market from its 2020 launch until earlier this year when FanDuel was subcontracted to lead the local sports betting scene.
The surge in revenue and tax funding generated by the switch to FanDuel prompted local officials to expand the market further. Caesars, BetMGM, and DraftKings were granted widespread operator access throughout the district, whereas they were either limited to retail locations or completely unavailable.
“We appreciate the Office of Lottery and Gaming for providing us the opportunity to further our connection with sports fans in our nation’s capital,” Eric Hession, president of Caesars Digital, said in a press release. “Our self-service betting kiosks are an excellent addition to our sports wagering options in D.C.
“Whether sports fans prefer a traditional ticket-in-hand wagering experience or want to simply deposit cash for their mobile app account, our kiosks enhance the premier sports betting experience we offer through the combination of options and convenience that supports dozens of small businesses locally.”
Users must be 21 to utilize Caesars’ new betting kiosks. All wagers will count towards the Rewards Credits stored in online Caesars accounts.
The arrival of the new kiosks marks the final blow to GambetDC, which on the company website says that customers have until October 15 to withdraw from their account before they are permanently closed.
Caesars touched down in D.C. in 2021 when it opened Caesars Sportsbook at Capital One Arena, the country’s first in-arena sportsbook at a professional sports venue at the home of the Washington Wizards and the Washington Capitals.
D.C. gaming laws allowed Caesars to offer online betting at and within a two-block radius around Capital One Arena until it was granted expanded access to the entire district in July.
Officials in the nation’s capital voted on expansion after GambetDC fell nearly $80 million short of its expected tax revenue in its first four years of operation. BetMGM and Caesars had an easy transition since they already had retail sportsbooks (BetMGM’s at Nationals Park), while DraftKings was granted access on July 25 after it struck a deal with DC United.
Fanatics could be the next to enter the market as it previously said it would expand to D.C. once it completed the necessary steps.
