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Washington, DC Could Soon Have Competitive Sports Betting Market

Washington, DC could soon allow multiple operators to conduct mobile sports wagering in the District after City Council member Kenyan McDuffie’s (I-At Large) amendment to broaden the market was included in the council’s proposed budget for fiscal 2025, which was passed Tuesday.

White House
A street-level view of the White House in Washington, DC. The city could soon open its online sports betting market to multiple competitors. (Image: Adobe Stock Images)

McDuffie introduced the Sports Wagering Amendment Act of 2024 in March. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) still has to approve the budget, but if she does, that could open the door to the city having more than one mobile sports betting option. Currently, FanDuel has a monopoly on mobile betting in the US capitol city.

The unit of Flutter Entertainment took over online sports betting in the city in April after the city council allowed Intralot to subcontract its responsibilities out to another company. Intralot previously ran the heavily criticized GambetDC app.

Last month, representatives from BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, and Fanatics Betting & Gaming testified before the Washington, DC City Council’s Committee Business and Economic Development Committee to advocate for a more competitive mobile sports betting landscape in the city.

Usual Suspects Likely to Eye DC Sports Betting Entry

Should Washington, DC’s sports wagering market be liberalized, forcing FanDuel to shed its brief monopoly, the typical names in the industry would likely seek entry.

Currently, BetMGM (Nationals Park) and Caesars Sportsbook (Capital One Arena) have retail sportsbooks at professional sports venues in the city. Those operators would almost certainly pursue licenses if the District opens to mobile wagering competition as would rivals DraftKings and Fanatics.

A decision on making the District’s sports betting market could boil down to simple economics. FanDuel paid a $5 million conversion fee to the Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG) to take over the Intralot deal and is promising $2 million to $4 million in annual operating payments to the city. If several other gaming companies made similar financial commitments, mobile betting expansion could be a significant moneymaker for the city.

However, there are market share considerations for operators. While Washington, DC is an enticing market for sportsbook firms, there are no guarantees adequate threats to FanDuel will be mounted. In the first quarter in neighboring Virginia, FanDuell commanded market share of 40.14%, or more than DraftKings and BetMGM combined.

Resistance to Open DC Sports Betting Market

Obviously, FanDuel wouldn’t be thrilled about the idea of shedding its monopoly in DC, but there’s likely to be resistance to an open market from other corners — namely small businesses that have sports wagering kiosks.

Those FanDuel-operated machines are found in 63 locations across the city, including bars and lottery retailers, and have become important revenue streams for those establishments.

Retailers that have those kiosks fear that if more mobile wagering options are permitted in the District, bettors will be less inclined to use the kiosks. McDuffie believes that other gaming companies could provide comparable devices to businesses should the Washington market be liberalized.

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Washington State Casino Unprovoked Stabbing Leaves Man Dead

A suspect was apprehended Sunday morning after he allegedly fatally slashed a stranger inside Auburn, Wash.’s Muckleshoot Casino Resort.

Gaming machines at Muckleshoot Casino Resort
Gaming machines at Muckleshoot Casino Resort, pictured above. A man was fatally stabbed inside the gaming property. (Image: TripAdvisor)

The assailant and would-be victim didn’t know each other before the suspect snuck up to the victim from behind, while he was standing at a gaming table.

Random Attack

All of a sudden, the suspect stabbed him in the neck. Police are calling it a “random” attack. The victim passed away inside the gaming property.

No word on the victim’s identity. He was described as being in his late 20s.

Muckleshoot Casino staff immediately contacted the Auburn Police Department at about 1:30 a.m.

Officers arrested the unnamed suspect a short time later. He was booked at the King County Jail at about 8 a.m. Police said he will be charged with murder.

The suspect is 31 years old, according to Seattle TV station KCPQ. Police didn’t release a motive for the stabbing.

No one else in the Washington State gaming property was injured. It’s unclear how many guests or tribal casino employees were located near the victim when he was stabbed.

Stabbing Investigated

Police likely spoke to witnesses to the deadly attack. They also searched the crime scene for physical evidence. It’s possible detectives will review surveillance video to watch the activities of the suspect before he allegedly pulled out a weapon and stabbed the victim.

It’s likely the victim will undergo an autopsy to confirm the manner and form of death. Officials will also later describe the stab wounds and murder weapon used in the attack. The medical examiner’s office additionally will confirm the victim’s identity.

It’s unclear whether police seized a murder weapon from the crime scene.

They didn’t reveal whether it was a knife or other object. On the casino’s website, it clearly states, “Weapons, including firearms, are NOT ALLOWED in the casino or in the resort.”

Police didn’t explain how an object was snuck into the gaming room that could be used in such a fatal attack.

The casino is located about 16 miles east of Tacoma, Wash. The gaming property is operated by The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe.

Casino Expansion

Earlier this year, the casino held a ribbon-cutting for a major expansion. It includes 401 new guestrooms, an enlarged gaming floor, and a steakhouse located on the rooftop. The restaurant is called Smoke & Cedar.

An indoor heated pool will be opening soon, along with a hot tub and full-service bar.

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Washington State Woman with TB Faces Jail After Casino Visit

An unnamed Tacoma, Wash. woman who refuses to isolate with tuberculosis (TB) has visited an area casino at least once, according to court documents seen by The Tacoma News Tribune.

TB, tuberculosis, Tacoma, Casino Washington state
TB is a life-threatening bacterial infection that attacks the lungs. It killed 1.6 million people worldwide in 2021, but US deaths are rare, and  it can be treated with antibiotics. (Image: MyMed)

The woman, identified in filings only as “V.N.,” has been ordered by the Pierce County Superior Court to isolate and receive treatment for the disease. But thus far, she has failed to comply, The News Tribune reports.

V.N. has had the disease for over a year and has ignored over a dozen court orders.

On March 2, the woman was found to be in contempt of those orders and a warrant was issued for her arrest. Nevertheless, as of April 5, she remained at large and continued to avoid detention, according to court documents filed last week.

At the time of publication, it is not clear whether V.N. has been apprehended by the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office.

Public Consumption

A corrections officer has been assigned to surveil the respondent to “determine her habits in order to execute the warrant in a safe manner,” according to the filings.

The officer “observed a person they believed to be respondent leave her residence, get onto a city bus, and arrive at a local casino,” the documents said.

While TB is a life-threatening bacterial infection that attacks the lungs, frequent visitors to Tacoma-area casinos probably shouldn’t panic. Transmission usually occurs only after prolonged, frequent, or close contact with an infected individual.

That means it is far more likely to be transferred between members of the same household. Even then, 90% of those infected are asymptomatic and cannot pass on the disease. This is known as latent TB. For the 10% who develop active TB, the deathrate is around 66% if effective treatment is not received.

Global Killer

In 2021, the disease killed around 1.6 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Just 526 of those deaths occurred in the US, per figures from the CDC. Washington state averages around 200 cases per year, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department (TPCHD).

Treatment for active TB involves prolonged antibiotics courses of between four and 20 weeks because some strains of the disease are resistant to certain medications. This is something V.N. shows no willingness to be subjected to, according to court filings.

In a blog post days before V.N.’s arrest warrant was issued, the TPCHD admitted that such cases involve a fine balance between the risk to the public and the civil liberties of the patient.

“We are always hopeful a patient will choose to comply voluntarily. Seeking to enforce a court order through a civil arrest warrant is always our last resort,” the health department said.

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