Committee on the Judiciary to hold sports wagering hearing next week

December 12, 2024
By

DC is among the 38 states that offer legalized sports betting.

Key points:

- Senator Richard Blumenthal is part of the committee

- He recently pitched a bill that would again ban nationwide sports betting

The US Senate Committee on the Judiciary will hold a hearing on sports betting at 10AM Tuesday, December 17 in the Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 226 in Washington DC.

Senator Richard Blumenthal, who is on the committee, recently introduced the Supporting Affordability and Fairness with Every Bet act (SAFE Bet), which would establish a federal ban on sports betting.

Blumenthal and Representative Paul Tonko proposed this legislation during the fall.

Currently, 38 states and the District of Columbia offer some form of legal sports betting. The market has grown significantly since the Supreme Court overturned PASPA in May 2018.

SAFE Bet would require these states to apply for licensing through the US Justice Department. Applications would be reviewed by the US Attorney General, with approval periods lasting three years.

During the summer, the city council recently approved a budget to make room for additional operators to come to DC.

Up until mid-July, players could only access mobile sports betting through FanDuel. The operator is a current partner with the DC Lottery.

Good to know: The District of Columbia has allowed legal sports betting since 2020

Newcomers to the scene during the summer included DraftKings, BetMGM and Caesars. These operators celebrated their first full month of operation in DC in August.

The District of Columbia recently published its October sports wagering results, the latest report from the city. The Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG) posted a total handle of nearly $65.8m for the month.

DC has managed to surpass its previous wagering high for the third consecutive month. October’s handle beat out previously established record highs for both August and September.

More than half of the monthly handle total came from bets placed with FanDuel during October. Players wagered more than $37m through FanDuel.

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