Washington DC and FanDuel are both looking forward to a big boost after the sports betting operator was named as the exclusive sports betting app for the nation’s capital. The move comes after months of chaos, and under performance, from the previous provider Intralot. With the move, the city’s leaders are expecting to see a major revenue boost from sports betting-starved DC residents.
Before the FanDuel takeover, DC residents complained that Intralot’s sports betting app was overly complex and didn’t work all that well. DC Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG) was disappointed with the amount of revenue the sports betting experiment was bringing in, and the stage was set for the FanDuel takeover. FanDuel has already boosted DC city coffers with an initial payment of $5 million just for walking in the door.
While FanDuel brings more resources to the table than Intralot, it’s going to face some of the same challenges that likely stymied the Greek operator’s success in Washington DC. There are some pretty strict geographic restrictions within the city that include a two-block radius surrounding designated Class A facilities (Audi Field, Capital One Arena, Nationals Park, and St. Elizabeths East Entertainment and Sports Arena) and all federal lands, including the National Mall, White House, Capitol, Congressional office buildings, East Potomac Park, and Rock Creek Park. That’s a lot of geo-fencing for a city-state that’s only 68 square miles.
Those challenges have done little to dampen the enthusiasm of Frank Suarez, Executive Director of OLG. In a recent press release he opined enthusiastically about FanDuel’s DC takeover saying, “With FanDuel’s launch, D.C. residents and visitors will have access to a best-in-class sports wagering platform. FanDuel’s entry into our market brings not only a reliable, customer-friendly sports wagering experience to the nation’s capital, but it also includes guaranteed revenue that will be used to fund vital city programs.”
FanDuel is expected to generate up to $116 million in tax revenue for DC over the course of the next five years.