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The District of Columbia looks ready to level up its game.
The DC Council is currently reviewing a bill that would legalize online casino games like slots, table games, and poker inside the district.
Bill 26 0656, called the Internet Gaming and Consumer Protection Act of 2026, was the star of the show at a public hearing on May 4. The Office of Lottery and Gaming and various industry representatives were given a chance to share their thoughts.
Online casinos would be taxed at 25% under proposal
The legislation was introduced in April by councilmember Wendell Felder. It’s meant to counter offshore sites by legalizing online casinos willing to pay the price of admission.
The price being debated is a $2 million initial licensing fee plus a 25% tax on all gross gaming revenue.
The city plans to send a chunk of tax revenue to gambling addiction services and community reinvestment.
Why now?
If you remember the absolute headache that was GambetDC, you know why the council is in a haste. The city learned the hard way that monopolies are a recipe for bad odds and buggy apps.
Now that sports betting in the nation’s capital is competitive … and more lucrative for DC, the council is looking to add more beef to the burger. They are also looking to close the door on unlicensed sweepstakes casinos.
Opposition emerges
Of course, the idea of legalizing online casinos comes with opposition.
So far, that would be Les Bernal, director of Stop Predatory Gambling. He argues that the idea of flushing out offshore operators by legalizing online casinos is just propaganda by industry players.
“The narrative behind illegal gambling was a made-up public relations narrative by the gambling industry, and the reason why they needed to do it is because your constituents weren’t demanding commercial sports gambling.
“They sure as heck aren’t demanding online casino gambling. They had to create this phony public relations narrative to breathe life into a lobbying campaign.”
Felder balked at that assertion, as he believes the good far outweighs the bad.
“The question before us is not whether online gaming happens. … The question is whether the district will continue allowing millions of dollars to flow outside of our oversight and outside of our economy or whether we will regulate it responsibly, protect consumers, and generate revenue that benefits district residents.”
What happens next?
Having gone through a public hearing, the bill is currently sitting with the Committee on Human Services.
The committee will digest all the testimony and decide if the bill needs any extra polish before it heads to a full council vote.
Expect a summer of heavy debating and stakeholder meetings.
If everything goes according to plan, the district could be dealing digital cards before the year is out. Keep your phones charged.
