Caesars Sportsbook self-service kiosks are now live in Washington, D.C., at 48 local businesses.
Local businesses are pleased – and relieved -- to partner with the notable casino company.
Caesars is effectively filling a void left by GambetDC, formerly the official sportsbook of D.C.’s Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG). GambetDC was not particularly popular with either bettors or officials, who had hope to generate better revenues from its services. Under financial and political pressure, the beleaguered provider officially closed its doors in April.
At that time, D.C. designated FanDuel as its sole online sports betting provider. The fate of GambetDC’s retail kiosks, however, was an unknown.
In September, the OLG ended the mystery, announcing Caesars would step in to service the 48 OLG-licensed sports betting retail locations.
“We appreciate the Office of Lottery and Gaming for providing us the opportunity to further our connection with sports fans in our nation’s capital,” Eric Hession, president of Caesars Digital, said in a release. “Our self-service betting kiosks are an excellent addition to our sports wagering options in D.C.”
D.C. presence
Caesars has had a presence in D.C. area since 2021 when it launched in-person sports betting in D.C. at Capital One Arena, home of the NBA's Wizards and NHL's Capitals. This summer, Caesars Sportsbook launched its app after D.C. legally shifted to a more competitive gaming landscape.
With the NFL season in full swing, business owners welcome the transformation of the retail kiosks.
“The new Caesars Sportsbook betting kiosks have quickly become very popular and crated a lively environment in our business. It’s been exciting to bring a strong product from a trusted brand into our store and it has let to visits from new customers,” said the owner and operator of the Capital View Market.
The OLG is also pleased to be moving on from a lackluster monopoly model, offering a more lucrative and popular competitive environment.
“D.C residents and visitors will soon have access to best-in-class sports wagering kiosks at retail locations across the city,” said OLG’s interim executive director Eugene Vlasenko back in September. “We are pleased to partner with Caesars, a key industry player and the leader in retail sport betting operations, which is demonstrating its commitment to the D.C. community.”
