Capital One Arena Sports Betting
Bettors lined up outside Capital One Arena on Monday morning, waiting for the ceremonial opening to wrap up so they could start wagering on the professional sports happening that night. Asher on Opening a sportsbook in Capital One Arena: “We opened up over the summer. Obviously, we’re working on building out a sportsbook there, it’s in an old restaurant so they got the space back and so we’re working on building out a high-end, sports themed restaurant-bar concept where you can actually bet.
Lawmakers in Washington DC have officially approved sports gambling. Recently, several groups here have pushed to allow sports betting in Capital One Arena. It’s now looking like this is closer to happening than many expected.
The owner of this famous arena claims to have secured a deal with a major sports betting operator. Let’s take a look at this city’s road to sports betting legalization, and how sports gambling could become available inside the Capital One Arena.
Washington DC’s Road to Sports Betting Legalization
Sports betting has never been more popular in the US than it is right now. For many years, only Nevada was legally allowed to offer sports wagering options. In May of 2018, the Supreme Court struck down PASPA, giving every state in the country the ability to set laws on the sports betting industry.
Almost immediately after PASPA was removed, New Jersey chose to legalize sports gambling. It’s proven to be an extremely lucrative industry for this state. New Jersey’s sports betting market now earns more than Las Vegas.
In 2018, prior to PASPA being removed, lawmakers in Washington DC approved the Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act. This Act made it possible for the state to allow sports gambling after the federal ban was removed. In May of 2019, officials in DC put the Act into effect and sports betting was made officially legal.
It’s still unclear when the first legal sports wagers will be made in this state. Many companies are looking to break into this new market. Interestingly, the city’s biggest sports arena is now preparing to offer in-arena sports wagering options.
Owner Confirms Sports Betting in Capital One Arena is Coming
For months, officials at Monumental Sports and Entertainment have discussed plans to open sports betting in Capital One Arena. Ted Leonsis, owner of this sports arena and CEO of MSE, talked about his goal to open sports gambling options here back in April.
“There will be a sportsbook inside the building accessible from the outside and depending on the league and depending on the event, it might be accessible from the inside as well,” he said.
Leonsis owns the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals, who both play inside this arena. He believes that offering sports betting options inside the arena would help to bring in more visitors and generate massive revenue earnings. This week, Leonsis confirmed that sports betting in Capital One Arena is one its way.
In an official press release, the owner revealed this his company had partnered with William Hill to open a sportsbook inside the arena. William Hill is one of the top gambling companies based in the UK. It’s focused on expanding into the US market and is now operating in 10 different states.
William Hill will soon begin construction on a multi-level sportsbook inside this sports arena. It will be open seven days a week, even when no sporting events are taking place. Leonsis recently commented on this company’s role moving forward.
“William Hill will manage and be solely responsible for the business of the sportsbook and ensure that we as the team franchises never touch the money. We are always pushing the limits on what’s possible in sports. Monumental has led the way on sports gaming and is among the first in sports to integrate real-time data into the live game experience.”
When Will Sports Betting Become Available Here?
Washington DC’s City Council voted to legalize sports betting late last year. Unfortunately, there have been several legal hurdles that have prevented any sports betting options to open up here. There is currently an injunction in place that’s making it impossible for any sportsbooks to start operating here.
It’s beginning to look like this injunction will soon be resolved. Several officials in this city have stated that the first sports betting options will become available here before the end of 2019.
According to signs posted inside the arena, sports betting in Capital One Arena will be available in 2020. Only those above the age of 21 will be able to place sports wagers here. This is an extremely exciting time for sports fans inside this city.
It’s still unclear exactly what forms of sports gambling will become available here. It’s likely that visitors will have the ability to place wagers on live sporting events taking place inside the arena.
Make sure to stay tuned for more US sports betting news over the next new months!
Monumental Sports & Entertainment and William Hill US will partner on a William Hill Sports Book at Capital One Arena, bringing a sports betting facility to the D.C. venue. The planned sports book, billed as the first at a U.S. professional sports venue, is subject to regulatory approval.
In addition, William Hill will become the exclusive sports betting partner of the NBA’s Washington Wizards and NHL’s Washington Capitals–two teams that play at Capital One Arena–and the Washington Mystics and Monumental Sports & Entertainment.
“Monumental is dedicated to bringing the latest technology and innovation into our arena and delivering extraordinary experiences to our fans. We are excited to partner with William Hill, the industry leader in sports betting, to become the first professional sports arena in the U.S. to feature a sportsbook,” Ted Leonsis, chairman, founder, principal partner and CEO, Monumental Sports & Entertainment said in a press statement. “Through this partnership, we are thrilled to enhance the fan experience with innovative gaming opportunities and transformational dining and culinary options not just on event days, but year-round. Our partnership with William Hill compliments our vision of making our arena the premier sports and entertainment destination in Washington, D.C.”
“This sports book will be a flagship venue for the industry and will serve the sports fans of the Washington D.C. area unlike any other,” Joe Asher, CEO of William Hill US, said in a press statement. “Partnering with Ted Leonsis and the entire Monumental team was ideal. They share our vision and principles for bringing innovative sports betting opportunities to fans in a responsible way. This deal sets a new benchmark for how the industry will serve fans and how fans engage in sports.”
Upon receipt of all required regulatory approvals, the sports book will be operated by William Hill, with a full-service food and beverage offering, complemented by premium sports betting facilities. The book, which will span multiple floors, will be open daily, year-round, and accessible to the public from F Street. During game days and certain in-arena events, ticketed and non-ticketed fans will have access to the sports book. The sports book also will be open on non-event days. Sports fans of legal age will also have the option to wager on a William Hill mobile app inside the arena, as permitted by the Washington D.C. regulations.
Construction to transform the space into a sports book is expected to begin pending regulatory approvals. The sports book is expected to become a year-round hub of activity for sports fans in the Washington, D.C. area. Fans will have the opportunity to come together to watch games, even when they aren’t live in the arena. For major events, there is the opportunity to turn the arena bowl into a 20,000-seat TV viewing area.
Legalized sports betting has become more widespread around the United States since May 2018, when the Supreme Court decided to rule the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992–which banned sports betting in most circumstances–as unconstitutional. That decision effectively paved the way for states to legalize sports betting individually. There have been indications for some time that a sports book could be launched at Capital One Arena, and the partnership between MSE and William Hill US would bring that to fruition.
Dc Sports Betting Capital One Arena
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