The Council of the District of Columbia held a hearing on the legalization of iGaming, during which industry representatives and the opposition debated whether online casinos should be regulated. Councilmember Wendell Felder first introduced the “Internet Gaming and Consumer Protection Act of 2026” on April 9, 2026, which aimed for Washington to legalize iGaming and
The Council of the District of Columbia held a hearing on the legalization of iGaming, during which industry representatives and the opposition debated whether online casinos should be regulated.
Councilmember Wendell Felder first introduced the “Internet Gaming and Consumer Protection Act of 2026” on April 9, 2026, which aimed for Washington to legalize iGaming and ban sweepstakes. Multiple operators, such as Caesars Entertainment, FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM, were present during the hearing and showed their support for the measure.
Matt Scalf, Senior Government Affairs Manager at DraftKings, stated:
“Nearly two years ago, the council passed legislation to modernize the district’s online sports wagering market. This bill represents a natural next step, building on the district’s success by joining eight states in authorizing iGaming as part of the district’s existing well-regulated gaming framework overseen by the Office of Lottery and Gaming.”
Matthew Frumin, Chair of the Committee on Human Services, added:
“This legislation establishes a comprehensive licensing framework, including a consumer protection plan, responsible gaming requirements, taxation, reporting, and an enforcement framework administered by the Office of Lottery and Gaming.”
According to the proposal, operators would pay a $2 million licensing application fee, an additional $500,000 for each license renewal, and receive legal licenses for five years, becoming subject to a 25% tax on gaming revenue.
However, the national director of Stop Predatory Gambling, Les Bernal, spoke out against the initiative and debated whether the legalization would reduce illegal gaming participation.
Bernal commented:
“This is like putting Dracula in charge of the blood bank.”
The proposal is still under committee review, as no vote was taken after the hearing, with lawmakers assessing the risks and advantages of legalizing online casinos in Washington.