FanDuel led the Washington, DC betting market in August

In the first full month of an open competitive market in Washington, DC, FanDuel emerged as the dominant choice among bettors, handling $21.7 million in wagers. Four online operators were active, along with four retail-only sportsbooks, resulting in a record-breaking total of $40.6 million in bets, according to the Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG). The combined sportsbooks generated $4.5 million in gross gaming revenue (GGR).

Back in June, the DC Council voted to open up the market, which had previously only offered one digital betting option—GambetDC, a white-label platform operated by Intralot. However, due to ongoing issues, the OLG announced in March that Intralot would be replaced by FanDuel. After FanDuel’s launch in April, the market fully opened on July 15, and the OLG opted not to renew its sports betting contract with Intralot.

FanDuel’s Monopoly Provided a Head Start

FanDuel’s exclusive three-month presence before the market opened to other operators gave it a significant advantage, generating $78.5 million in handle during that period. By July, FanDuel secured its position with market access through a partnership with Audi Field, joining BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbook. DraftKings launched later, on July 26, but FanDuel’s July handle was almost three times that of DraftKings’ $7.4 million, with Caesars and BetMGM seeing $5.4 million and $5.2 million in bets, respectively.

FanDuel’s combined retail and digital handle gave it a substantial lead, although the OLG report doesn’t differentiate between in-person and online betting.

FanDuel Leads in Gross Gaming Revenue

FanDuel’s gross gaming revenue for August reached $2.8 million, nearly three times that of its closest competitor, DraftKings, which earned $875,000. BetMGM and Caesars followed with $450,588 and $321,877, respectively. FanDuel and DraftKings also recorded higher hold percentages compared to legacy casino operators, with FanDuel at 12.7% and DraftKings at 11.82%. BetMGM and Caesars posted win rates of 8.73% and 5.96%.

In this competitive market, BetMGM, Caesars, and FanDuel pay a 20% tax rate, while DraftKings, as a mobile-only operator with a Class C license, faces a 30% tax rate. Retail-only sportsbooks like Cloakbook, Grand Central, Sports & Social, and Ugly Mug are taxed at 10% of their GGR. Altogether, the sportsbooks contributed nearly $1 million in taxes to the city in August.