As the Nation’s Capital, Washington, DC is a leader in many things across the country. Gambling laws are one area where the District falls behind other jurisdictions. Washington, DC is more restrictive than most other US locales, including its two neighboring states.
That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy gambling. Though real money online casino gambling is not yet regulated, you can still play casino games online in the District via a safe, secure, and legal environment.
Social and sweepstakes casinos use virtual coins instead of real currency. These sites are not prohibited under DC gambling laws. You can safely play the most popular online casino games within the nation’s capital.
Read our guide to legal gambling in Washington, DC. Our experts cover legal gaming types, safe gambling practices, and the top-rated online sweepstakes casinos you should sign up with today.
Online and land-based real money casinos aren’t legal in Washington, DC. Players can still try free-to-play casino games from the comfort of homes. Sweepstakes casinos allow you to play a wide range of online casino games for free.
Most of these sites feature hundreds of slots from top developers including NetEnt and IGT. Hundreds of themes and features are available within these games. That includes progressive jackpot slots and Megaways games.
Many Washington, DC online casinos also support virtual table games, letting you play games including blackjack, baccarat, and roulette at your own pace. The best sweepstakes casinos have the original versions of these titles along with variations that add more ways to win.
Some social casino sites offer video poker, multiplayer games, and other free casino experiences.
Washington, DC has some of the more unusual gambling laws in the US. It allows several verticals but bans others. While there is no land-based or online casino gambling, there are other options for local players.
In 1982, Washington, DC created the DC Lottery. This lottery joined the Multi-State Lottery Association in 1988. Though the District is not a state, its lottery functions like the 45 government-run lotteries in other states.
The federal sports wagering ban was struck down in May 2018. Washington, DC, like the 50 states, was allowed to legalize mobile and in-person wagering with in its municipal limits.
City policymakers approved a de facto online monopoly for a lottery-run mobile sportsbook, GambetDC, in 2019.
In 2020, DC became the first US jurisdiction to open an in-stadium retail sportsbook. The District creates mobile “exclusion zones” for online sportsbooks if they partner with one of the city’s major professional sports venues. Only that partnered mobile sportsbook can take bets within two blocks of the respective stadium.
Several businesses are also approved for retail sportsbooks.
There are no Washington, DC land-based casinos.
MGM National Harbor is located across the Potomac River from the city. Virginia has four casinos, though they are significantly further away for District residents.
Online and retail sports betting are legal in Washington, DC
In-person sports betting is available at retail sportsbooks. These books are at several DC stadiums venues as well as sports bars.
GamebetDC accepts legal online sports bets within the District. This does not include federal property such as the National Mall.
Several mobile sportsbooks partnered with city sports venues allow online bets placed within two blocks of the facility. DC is the only US jurisdiction with such a structure.
Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) games are permitted in Washington, DC
There are no horse racing tracks or off-track betting (OTB) locations in the District. Online pari-mutuel horse racing betting is prohibited in Washington, DC
The DC Lottery was founded in 1982 and is part of the Multi-State Lottery Association. You can buy tickets from retailers across the District.
The future of sports betting in Washington, DC could alter if the owner of the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals move the franchises out of the District. This could potentially leave Caesars Sportsbook without a sports team partner. Caesars accounts for around one third of the District’s betting handle.
Lawmakers may consider loosening restrictions on commercial sportsbooks if this happens, although the move is not due until 2028.
With or without the two franchises, DC policymakers have considered a competitive market in the wake of GambetDC’s struggles.
DC is the only US jurisdiction where an in-person sportsbook makes more money than its highest-grossing online platform.
Read our reviews to learn more about our recommended platforms. Our experts evaluate at a wide variety of criteria before selecting which sites to recommend. That includes, but is not limited, to the range of offered games, available payment methods, customer support, and player safety.
You can find the best sweepstakes casinos in Washington, DC here on this page. Our experts have selected the safest options that offer a wide variety of games, top platforms, and generous bonuses.
Washington, DC online casinos will request personal and potentially financial information. It’s essential to play at a site you can trust.
All the USA online casinos on this page are available legally in the District. The online casinos on this page use modern security measures to keep players safe, including SSL encryption and strict privacy policies. Reputable payment providers handle all transactions.
While you can’t make real money deposits at Washington, DC online social casinos, you can purchase currency bundles. Sweepstakes casinos support many of the payment methods you’d find at real money online casinos.
Visa and Mastercard are accepted at the credit and debit card casinos listed on this page. You can also make direct payments from your bank account or pay using ACH with many Washington, DC social casinos. These sites also allow purchases using popular e-wallets like PayPal and Venmo.
The minimum amount you can spend is the smallest value currency bundle. This is usually around $10. If your sweepstakes casino lets you exchange Sweeps Coins for real money, many of the same payment options will be available for these transactions.
The distinction between real money online casinos and sweepstakes casinos can be confusing.
A real money online casino allows you to deposit money into a secure online wallet and use this money to play slots online, table games, and live dealer games. You spend real cash to play these games and win real money back. You can then withdraw this money from your online casino account through your preferred payment method.
Sweepstakes casinos allow you to play casino games without risking real money- and without the potential to win cash. There are two ways to play at a sweepstakes casino. The first is using Gold Coins (or an equivalent currency), where you can play slots and table games for fun. You can earn more Gold Coins if you win, which you can use to play more casino games.
The other way to play is with Sweeps Coins. Like Gold Coins, this currency lets you play slots and table games. You can earn this currency for free through promotions at sweepstakes casinos. However, you can exchange Sweeps Coins for real-life prizes, including vouchers at popular retailers.
Slot | Manufacturer | Payout RTP% |
---|---|---|
Cards of Asgard All Aces | Switch Studios | 99.92 |
Fruity Beats Xtreme | Spinmatic | 99.08 |
Ugga Bugga | Playtech | 99.07 |
Ultra Fresh | Endorphina | 99 |
All Ways Fruits | Amatic Industries | 99 |
Monopoly Big Event | Barcrest Games | 99 |
Book Of 99 | Relax Gaming | 99 |
Ed Jones & Book of Bastet Deluxe Xtreme | Spinmatic | 99 |
Plinko | Hacksaw Gaming | 98.98 |
Treasure Of Tengshe | Blue Guru Games | 98.94 |
Magic Garden 10 | SmartSoft Gaming | 98.9 |
Gold Digger: Mines | iSoftBet | 98.88 |
Pixies of the Forest II | IGT | 98.83 |
Indian Charm Triple Jackpots | Casino Web Scripts | 98.76 |
Magic Forest | Caleta Gaming | 98.75 |
Reel Million Slot | GAMING1 | 98.71 |
Conquerors of the Amazon | Casino Web Scripts | 98.63 |
Mystic Books | Casino Web Scripts | 98.63 |
Street Runners: The Burnout | Casino Web Scripts | 98.63 |
Conquerors of the Amazon II | Casino Web Scripts | 98.63 |
Heroes Empire | Caleta Gaming | 98.6 |
Chinese Magical Zodiac Sign | Casino Web Scripts | 98.6 |
Circus of Fortune | Casino Web Scripts | 98.58 |
Oktoberfest Beer Bash | Casino Web Scripts | 98.58 |
Pyramid Riches II | Casino Web Scripts | 98.58 |
The Legend of Count Dracula | Casino Web Scripts | 98.58 |
1429 Uncharted Seas | Thunderkick | 98.5 |
MoonStone | SmartSoft Gaming | 98.5 |
Monkeys VS Sharks | World Match | 98.48 |
Sushicade | Ganapati | 98.41 |
Ukiyo-e | Ganapati | 98.41 |
Bitcoin Billion | Casino Web Scripts | 98.41 |
Burning Ice 10 | SmartSoft Gaming | 98.4 |
The Big Deal Deluxe | Habanero | 98.4 |
Golden Taj Mahal | Habanero | 98.22 |
Totem Warrior | Habanero | 98.22 |
Polar Adventure | World Match | 98.21 |
Sherlock | World Match | 98.21 |
Flashback Heroes | Arcadem | 98.21 |
Xperiment Gold | Popiplay | 98.21 |
Sky Barons | Tom Horn Gaming | 98.2 |
Dr. Jekyll Goes Wild | Barcrest Games | 98.2 |
Sheik Yer Money | Barcrest Games | 98.2 |
Burning Ice | SmartSoft Gaming | 98.2 |
Dragon | Leander Games | 98.19 |
Pumpkin Patch | Habanero | 98.18 |
Diamondz | Synot Games | 98.18 |
Triple Bar | 1x2 Gaming | 98.15 |
The Dark Art | NetGaming | 98.15 |
Cash Stax | Barcrest Games | 98.14 |
Golden Chief | Barcrest Games | 98.14 |
Jump! | Habanero | 98.13 |
Ways Of Fortune | Habanero | 98.12 |
Marching Legions | Relax Gaming | 98.12 |
Golden Unicorn Deluxe | Habanero | 98.12 |
B-Boy's Street | World Match | 98.11 |
Elite Commandos | World Match | 98.11 |
Farm Adventures | World Match | 98.11 |
Golden Chance | BF Games | 98.11 |
Masters of Eclipse | Synot Games | 98.11 |
The Catfather | Pragmatic Play | 98.1 |
Legend of the Pharaohs | Barcrest Games | 98.1 |
Monopoly Bring the House Down | Barcrest Games | 98.1 |
Into the Woods | World Match | 98.1 |
Zen Blade | World Match | 98.1 |
Lucky for You | OMI Gaming | 98.1 |
Hero Clash | Stakelogic | 98.1 |
Mystic Fortune Deluxe | Habanero | 98.08 |
Master Of Lightning | Popiplay | 98.08 |
Arctic Fish and Cash | Popiplay | 98.08 |
Pogo's Circus | Espresso Games | 98.07 |
Lantern Luck | Habanero | 98.06 |
Hot Hot Fruit | Habanero | 98.05 |
Fresh Fortune | BF Games | 98.05 |
Jazz Spin | BF Games | 98.05 |
Panda Planet | Arrow's Edge | 98.03 |
Torch Of Fire | Caleta Gaming | 98.03 |
Christmas Tree 2 | TrueLab Games | 98.03 |
Respin Joker 243 | Synot Games | 98.03 |
Madame Mystique Megaways | Pragmatic Play | 98.03 |
Loony Blox | Habanero | 98.02 |
Lucky Lucky | Habanero | 98.02 |
Calaveras Explosivas | Habanero | 98.02 |
Fruity Gold 81 | Synot Games | 98.02 |
Aztec Jaguar | Synot Games | 98.02 |
Bounty 98 Hot 1 | Relax Gaming | 98.02 |
The Dog House - No Dog Left Behind | Pragmatic Play | 98.02 |
Moon Shadow | Barcrest Games | 98.01 |
Royal Crown | BF Games | 98.01 |
Blood Suckers | NetEnt | 98 |
Jokerizer | Yggdrasil Gaming | 98 |
Panda Panda | Habanero | 98 |
Secrets of the Amazon | Playtech | 98 |
Boulder Bucks | Barcrest Games | 98 |
Emperor's Gold | Barcrest Games | 98 |
Hercules High & Mighty | Barcrest Games | 98 |
King's Honour | Barcrest Games | 98 |
Mighty Black Knight | Barcrest Games | 98 |
Rainbow Riches Reels of Gold | Barcrest Games | 98 |
Super Star Turns | Barcrest Games | 98 |
There are many factors to consider when choosing the best sweepstakes casinos in Washington, DC. Our experts have done the hard work for you. These comprehensive online casino reviews of dozens of sites allow you to select Washington, DC’s best online social casinos.
We first consider safety, only selecting Washington, DC online casinos that operate legally and use fair gaming practices. We also look for sites that offer detailed customer support, with 24/7 ways to get in touch and on-site answers to commonly asked questions.
Sweepstakes casinos that provide responsible gambling support are prioritized. These features should be easy to find. We highlight sweepstakes casinos with easy-to-use platforms that make desktop and mobile navigation simple.
Game range is another crucial factor for Washington, DC online casinos. We provide review for games with dozens - if not hundreds - of titles. We also look for sites that support games developed by well-respected software companies. These are the most likely to be fair and fun.
We also consider the frequency and generosity of bonuses at all sweepstakes casinos we review. These sites are designed to let you gamble for fun by providing regular and generous bonuses to keep your account balance healthy.