Friday, May 1, 2026
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Neighboring Virginia recently declined a proposal that would’ve legalized real-money online casinos within the state’s borders. DC councilmembers are now making their own push.
On April 9, Wendell Felder introduced the Internet Gaming and Consumer Protection Act of 2026. That bill would legalize online slots, poker, and table games in the nation’s capital. As with sports betting, residents would be able to wager with real money straight from their phones.
The proposed bill would also ban the long list of sweepstakes casinos that are currently providing an alternative in the District. Sweepstakes casinos skirt the current rules by providing free coins, daily login bonuses, and other promotional methods.
If passed, Washington, D.C. would join the eight states that have already legalized online casinos.
How Would it Work
Although D.C. sports betting permits players aged 18 or older, that wouldn’t be the case for online casinos. With this proposal, the minimum wagering age would be 21 years old.
Anyone old enough to gamble will probably be familiar with the names of the potential online casino operators.
Companies like FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM will have an advantage in obtaining an operator license. Since they already have a sports betting operator license, they’ll have the perk of an expedited review. That will benefit customers too, as if you already have an account with the sportsbook, joining the casino won’t require much further action or a separate wallet in most cases.
Any online casino that launches in DC must offer responsible gambling tools with this proposal. That includes loss limits, session time limits, self-exclusion, and cool-off periods. Each system would apply default limits to every account automatically, which customers can later adjust after acknowledging responsible gambling information.
Like sports betting, online casinos would also be prohibited for use on federal land, such as the National Mall. It remains to be seen if the two-block rule around stadiums that restricts sports betting would apply to online casinos as well.
Lastly, any sweepstakes gamers would need to turn elsewhere or head to one of the neighboring states if the bill passes. The sweepstakes model is in a legal gray area right now, but would be clearly defined as illegal if real-money online casinos became an option.
What’s Next for the Bill
The bill has been formally referred by the committee, and there’s a public hearing scheduled for it today, May 4, 2026.
If the Council passes it and Mayor Bowser signs it, there would be a 60-day review period by Congress before the bill can take hold. After that, proposed rules must be issued within 90 days of the bill’s effective date. They’d have 180 days from the effective date to permit the launch of real-money online casinos.
So, there’s a chance that online casinos will be in the District by the end of the year. It’ll likely take longer, but the process is in place.