Warning: GambetDC will soon close as FanDuel Sportsbook prepares to replace it as the District’s only online sportsbook. BettingUSA recommends that bettors avoid GambetDC in the meantime. This notice follows a previous BettingUSA warning that the GambetDC app was marred by numerous technical issues and offered poor odds to users.

Washington D.C. legalized mobile sports betting in 2019 with a law authorizing citywide mobile betting to be operated by the lottery along with retail sportsbooks at stadiums and bars. Retail sportsbooks may also offer mobile wagering, but only for customers who are located on premises – making GambetDC the only citywide mobile sports betting provider.

GambetDC launched in May 2020 to finally bring legalized sports betting to the District.

Bettors Beware: High House Hold at GambetDC

Upon launch, GambetDC was immediately met with widespread criticism for offering poor odds that result in an expensive experience for customers relative to other sportsbooks. While other sportsbooks typically offer standard lines in the range of -105 to -110, GambetDC launched with lines of -118/-118 and -111/-125 on sides and totals.

This equates to more house vig, which is money taken from bettors and kept by the sportsbook before winning wagers are paid. As a result, GambetDC customers will find it more difficult to win as their bankrolls are hoovered up by the excessive house hold.

To compare, below is a selection of NFL spreads and moneylines offered by GambetDC compared to lines offered by legal sports betting sites that operate in other states.

As this chart shows, GambetDC customers win less on underdogs and have to risk more on favorites in almost every single instance relative to other mobile sportsbooks. In these examples, the household is significantly higher at GambetDC than it is at every other sports betting site.

GambetDC Promo Code And Welcome Bonus

GambetDC offers new customers a second chance first bet worth up to $500, with no promo code necessary. New users can claim the GambetDC bonus by signing up for an account, making a deposit of at least $10, and placing their first wager on any market with odds of -200 or longer (e.g., -200, +100, +300, etc.)

If the qualifying wager loses, GambetDC will refund it with up to $500 in bonus funds. Bettors may not withdraw the bonus, but they can use it to place wagers to win withdrawable cash. Customers must use the bonus within seven days of receipt, and the bonus is not included in any winnings when used to place successful wagers.

GambetDC occasionally offers additional promotions that require promo codes. For example, the GambetDC app once offered a free bet worth up to $100 to existing users who logged in, input a promo code, and placed a wager on any sport. Bettors can see all open offers and get the latest GambetDC promo code (if required) by logging in and visiting the promotions tab.

GambetDC sports betting promotions are infrequent, but customers can log in any time to see if any offers are available. If any offer requires a Gambet promo code, the offers page will list it.

Other GambetDC Sportsbook Promotions

GambetDC occasionally launches new promotions for existing customers, usually attuned to the most popular in-season sports. For example, GambetDC launched risk-free Thursdays (place a $5 bet on the Thursday night game’s point spread and get your money back if it loses) and free bet Mondays (get a $25 free bet if you bet the total on Monday Night Football’s game) for the entirety of the most recent NFL season.

In addition, GambetDC hosts sports betting promotions for local market teams on occasion. For example, users may log in one day and find a $25 risk-free bet offer open to anyone who bets on the Washington Wizards.

GambetDC Sports Betting App

GambetDC offers mobile apps for iOS and Android in addition to a responsive website that is compatible with all devices.

Customers can download the GambetDC mobile app for iPhone and iPad by searching for it by name in the App Store while Android users can download the app directly from the GambetDC website.

The GambetDC mobile sports betting experience is largely the same as the desktop experience but resized to fit mobile devices. Customers can log in, view the lines, manage their accounts and place wagers while on the go.

Pregame and in-play wagering are both supported via GambetDC mobile and simple navigation menus make it easy to get around. To date, we have no complaints regarding the form or function of the GambetDC app.

GambetDC Mobile Sportsbook App Screenshots

GambetDC Interface And User Experience

Criticism of the GambetDC interface was rife on Twitter on launch day, but we found it easy to use, easy to navigate and quick to respond to user input. The interface is certainly simplistic as GambetDC is short on features in whole, but what features it does offer work well.

The GambetDC homepage provides a list of popular events and wagers, navigation menu to view the various sports on offer and tabs to switch between pre-game and in-play betting. Clicking or tapping the name of any event brings users to a detailed event page where additional wagering markets are listed.

Bettors can click or tap the odds on any listed market to add that wager to the betting slip. Users can add multiple wagers to the bet slip at once to either bet on each outcome individually or wrap them into parlays.

GambetDC Sportsbook Desktop Screenshots

GambetDC In-Play Betting

GambetDC maintains an active calendar of in-play betting events for major games held in the US and abroad. The in-play betting interface is a bit simplistic in presentation but provides all the basic necessities: live stats, play-by-play updates and real-time betting odds that are constantly refreshed.

The amount of wagering information provided by GambetDC during live events is about on part with the industry average. Some of the informational tools available to customers include text-based game feeds, virtual depictions of what’s happening in the game, current game stats and historical head-to-head stats.

GambetDC accepts an average range of in-game wagers as well. Customers can wager on the game outcome (moneylines and totals included) along with a variety of props and short-term wagers.

GambetDC Location Restrictions

Sports bettors can download the GambetDC Sportsbook app, create accounts, and deposit funds from anywhere in the country but must be physically present within city limits to place wagers.

Additionally, the Gambet DC app is subject to additional location restrictions within the District. The GambetDC app cannot be used to place wagers on federally owned land such as the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial or within two blocks of a Class A sports betting license holder (a stadium with a retail sportsbook).

Customers can find maps showing the exact boundaries of Class A restricted locations.

GambetDC Deposit Methods

Customers can fund their GambetDC accounts with the following methods. The minimum deposit for all methods is $10 and the maximum is $2,000.

• Credit and debit card: All major brands accepted
• Skrill: E-wallet that works in a similar manner to PayPal
• ACH bank transfer: An electronic transfer of funds straight from the customer’s bank account to GambetDC
• Play+ prepaid card: Users can register for a Play+ card through the GambetDC app or website to make instant online deposits with a virtual prepaid card. Additionally, customers receive a physical Play+ card by mail they can use to withdraw cash at ATMs or make purchases anywhere Discover is accepted

GambetDC withdrawal methods include ACH/e-check, Play+, and PayPal.

GambetDC Sports Betting Markets

GambetDC offers online sports betting on a broad range of domestic and international leagues, both for professional sports and college games. The DC Office of Lottery and Gaming is responsible for approving the types of wagers that may be offered and issued an order in 2019 containing a large list of events that may be covered.

Note that this is a list of events for which GambetDC is authorized to cover; it does not necessarily have to take wagers on all of these events:

• Aussie rules: AFL
• Auto racing: NASCAR, F1, IndyCar, MotoGP and WRC
• Baseball: MLB, NCAA, Japan, World Baseball Softball Confederation, World Baseball Classic
• Basketball: NBA, WNBA, NCAA and FIBA
• Boxing: IFB, WBA, WBC, WBO and Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports
• Cricket: ICC, ICC World Cup, ICC Women’s World Cup
• Cycling: Union Cycliste Internationale
• Darts: PDC
• Football: AFL, CFL, NFL and NCAA
• Golf: PGA, LPGA, PGA European Tour
• Hockey: NHL, NCAA
• Lacrosse: NCAA
• MMA: UFC and Bellator
• Olympics: Summer and Winter Games
• Rugby: Four Nations, Rugby World Cup, Six Nations and World Rugby
• Soccer: MLS, NCAA and many international leagues
• Tennis: ATP, WTA, NCAA, ITF, USTA

Additionally, the Office of Lottery and Gaming has approved the following types of wagers:

• Moneylines, point spreads and totals
• Head-to-head
• Odds/Even
• Team and player props
• Futures

In practice, this leads to an average variety of wagers for each event. Some of the bigger events in popular sports are covered with 100+ betting options while many smaller events offer just a handful of options.

GambetDC Responsible Gambling Controls

GambetDC allows customers to set a variety of responsible gambling controls to keep the time and money spent gambling within predetermined amounts.

• Bet Limits: Set limits ranging from $2 to $100,000 on the total amount wagered each day, week or month
• Deposit Limits: Set limits ranging from $10 to $15,000 on the total amount deposited each day, week or month
• Time Limits: Set a daily time limit for being logged into GambetDC ranging from 1 hour to 23 hours per day
• Cooling Off Period: Self-exclude for a period of 3, 7, 15 or 30 days
• Self-Exclusion: Customers may fill out a self-exclusion form and turn it in in-person at the Office of Lottery and Gaming to self-exclude from all DC gambling activities for a period of 18 months, three years, five years or life.

Expert Opinion: Is GambetDC Legit?

As the official sportsbook of the DC Lottery, GambetDC is a legitimate mobile betting option. It is the only operator approved to offer District-wide mobile online sports betting, but it suffers from numerous significant flaws. Most noteworthy are its poor betting odds and limited promotions.

Ultimately, BettingUSA cannot recommend GambetDC except as a last resort for bettors with no other options. If at all possible, bettors should get within two blocks of Nationals Park so they can use the BetMGM DC app instead.