Baseball Ball and Sports Betting Taxes in Washington DC

Pressure on DC Mayor Sports Betting

Pressure on DC Mayor to Use Sports Betting Taxes Appropriately

By Blake Roberts Founder & Editor in Chief Updated: 22 April 2023

Blake Roberts Founder & Editor in Chief

Blake Roberts is the founder of Betting.US and is currently heading the creative team as Editor in Chief. Born and raised in Morgantown, West Virginia, Blake is a great sports fan, with football and basketball being his favorite. He’s our trusted voice for all betting-related matters.

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There is pressure on the mayor of Washington DC, Muriel Bowser, to ensure the tax revenue made from sports betting is used appropriately. This comes after a recent report that showed how the mayor and the Council of the District of Columbia had decided to use these taxes, which come from the 10 percent tax rate levied on sportsbooks.

The Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act was signed by the mayor back in 2019, and this opened the door for in-person and online sports betting in the district. At that time, residents in the area were advised that the taxes raised from sports betting in DC would go toward improving pediatric services and supporting childhood development.

In addition to supporting the “Birth-to-Three for All DC” initiative, a portion of taxes was set to be put toward finding problem gambling support and resources, with around $200,000 a year meant to be used for this purpose.

However, it was recently reported that the council and mayor had decided to reallocate sports betting tax revenues to the General Fund. They will then decide where the money raised from sports betting taxes goes, which is something that has raised concerns among officials from the Sports Betting Alliance.

Money Put Aside for Gambling Support Needs to Be Set Aside

Officials from The Sports Betting Alliance have now said that the council and the mayor need to ensure that money is set aside for problem gambling as originally promised. They said that this was vital in order to provide better protection for bettors and the residents of DC.

The alliance said that its member sportsbooks already had a range of tools in place to help gamblers to better manage their gambling and to reduce the risk of addiction. This includes the ability to set self-limits on play and spending, self-exclusion capabilities, and limiting the time spent on gambling apps.

Many sportsbooks across the nation also have responsible gaming teams, and their responsibility is to monitor the activity of players to pick up on problem gambling behaviors. In addition, sportsbooks that are members of the SBA also ensure any new employees are trained in responsible gaming.

Among the members of the SBA are FanDuel and BetMGM, which make up two of the four sportsbooks operating in DC. There is also the DC Lottery sportsbook app, GambetDC, and Caesars Sportsbook.

Officials Emphasize Importance of Problem Gambling Program

Despite all the measures already in place, officials said that it is vital that there is also a separate program available to tackle problem gambling, which has become a huge concern in DC and in sports betting states across the country.

The SBA stated:

These internal protections are most effective when complemented by a publicly administered problem gaming treatment and prevention program.

With sports betting now far easier to access, and people being exposed to it more regularly, the number of people seeking support has increased. However, in many states and areas where sports betting is legal, there is inadequate funding to provide the level of support that is deemed necessary.