With little discussion, but clear opposition, the D.C. Council on Tuesday voted to approve a measure that will allow it to bypass a bidding process in finding a sports betting vendor. The measure would also extend the contract of current D.C. Lottery vendor, Intralot, with no competition. The Committee of the Whole voted, 7-6, to pass Bill 23-25, the “Sports Wagering Procurement Practices Reform Exemption Act of 2019.”
According to testimony given by D.C. Lottery Executive Director Beth Bresnahan at a committee meeting last week, the Lottery should be able to get sports betting in the District of Columbia up and running within six months of signing a new contract with Intralot. If D.C. had decided to go with an open-bid process, the city CFO said it would take a minimum of 27 months.
When the D.C. Lottery’s online sports betting platform goes live, run by Intralot, it will be the only legal online sportsbook in town, with limited exceptions for D.C.-based sports venues, which will be allowed to have sportsbooks on-premises and within a two-block exclusivity zone with their chosen partners.
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