(PRESS RELEASE) -- Today, the American Gaming Association (AGA) released the following statement after the D.C. City Council passed the “Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act of 2018” (Bill 22-944).
“We are encouraged by the D.C. City Council’s vote today to authorize sports wagering in the District. This decision represents a step in the right direction when it comes to protecting consumers and the integrity of sports,” said Sara Slane, AGA’s senior vice president of public affairs. “We’re pleased the bill adheres to a number of AGA’s priorities for successful sports betting legislation, including promoting responsible gaming, instituting a reasonable tax rate and excluding any ‘integrity fees’ or ‘exclusive data fees,’ which have been rightfully rejected in every other jurisdiction that has enacted sports betting legislation.
“While the vote today is progress, we remain deeply concerned about giving the lottery a virtual monopoly in the mobile market. Predictably, this will result in less investment and innovation, to the detriment of consumers and the ability of a nascent legal marketplace to compete with the accessibility and convenience offered by many established illegal wagering operations. AGA urges District policymakers to reevaluate the merits of this key aspect of their framework and allow greater competition in the future. AGA remains available to serve as a resource to the District and any other jurisdiction looking to create legal sports betting markets, protecting consumers and generating economic benefits in the process.”