Sports Betting Kiosks in DC Prove to Be a Smashing Success

A new program released by the D.C. Lottery has proven to be a good success. The retail program, which was released at the end of July, allows residents of legal age to place bets on sports at four sports bars by using a self-service kiosk. The four bars included in the initial pilot are Takoma Station, Ben’s Next Door, Dirty Water and Lou’s City Bar. Based on the initial feedback, D.C. sports bettors and businesses can expect to see more kiosks coming soon.

The GambetDC Program Helps Businesses

Takoma Station, Ben’s Next Door, Dirty Water and Lou’s City Bar are only the beginning of the GambetDC retail program. As the program continues to grow, more kiosks will be installed at numerous locations around the district and people could even find them at convenience stores. According to the D.C. Lottery, the end goal is to have this system operate just like the lottery system, meaning that patrons of legal age – 18 years or older – will fill out betting tickets and give them to cashiers. Any kiosk or sales location will eventually be able to cash out the winning tickets.

This new program was designed to help these establishments recover from the consequences that COVID-19 brought. Thanks to the GambetDC program, they will have an additional way to make a profit and be able to go back to their normal state. The hosts of the kiosks receive a percentage of the winnings, as well as a tiny piece of the action they cash out for bettors. The businesses that house betting machines earn a 5% commission from the sales.

Revenue Goes to the D.C. General Fund

What makes sports betting at these D.C. kiosks so special is the fact that the revenue that they make goes to the D.C. General Fund. Thanks to that fund, a number of education, infrastructure and other types of projects are being funded.

The Director of Marketing and Communications with the D.C. Lottery, Nicole Jordan, stated that in each of the aforementioned locations, there is a betting kiosk that is run by the Lottery in the background. The tag line – Bet on D.C. – fits the goal perfectly, as it is both a bet on D.C. and on the community.

Thanks to the kiosks, people are provided with an extra entertainment experience, as they are also able to watch their favorite teams. Chris Defelice, the owner of Dirty Water, told local media outlet WDVM that the establishment has numerous T.V.s and is excited about the new options. By adding sports wager options, the experience is next-level. Defelice concluded that betting kiosks complete this unique experience.