If a visit to Haute Dogs and Fries or some Washington Nationals baseball isn’t enough to get you to Nationals Park, perhaps the BetMGM Washington DC app will be. That BetMGM Sportsbook platform is now taking bets at the stadium.
You don’t have to be inside the park to place a bet, though you do have to be within a tightly geofenced area around the stadium. It’s part of a unique framework for legal online sports betting in Washington, DC.
BetMGM Washington DC app brings the heat
As of Thursday, June 10, Android and iOS users can find the DC-specific BetMGM sports betting app on their devices. Eligible bettors can download the app, register for an account, make deposits, browse the markets, and hopefully withdraw some winnings from anywhere.
When you’re ready to actually place your bet, though, that’s when you’ll have to be close to or inside Nationals Park. The geofenced area includes a two-block radius of the stadium. After your bets are in, you’re free to go.
Thursday’s launch represents BetMGM’s introduction into yet another market. MGM’s online gambling brand seems happy with its performance in the DMV area so far.
“Launching in Washington, DC, at Nationals Park sets the stage for our plans to expand BetMGM within the region, as we’ve already seen great success in Virginia,” BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt said in a press release. “The Washington Nationals have been a fantastic partner, committed to innovating the in-stadium fan experience and we’re looking forward to opening our retail sportsbook at the stadium later this year.”
As Greenblatt mentioned, the brick-and-mortar component is not yet open to the public. There’s still no official timeline for that. What is known, however, is that it will only be accessible from outside Nationals Park. Fans inside the stadium will of course be able to use their phones.
Despite the continued wait for the retail product, this is a significant milestone for BetMGM in establishing itself in the DMV. In just a few months, it should complete the trifecta.
BetMGM is ready to touch ’em all
BetMGM has two ready-made paths into Maryland, pending regulatory approval. First off, it has an agreement with the Baltimore Ravens. It’s uncertain whether that will include a branded retail sportsbook at M&T Bank Stadium.
If that doesn’t suffice, MGM runs MGM National Harbor casino, obviously. That’s a surefire path for a brick-and-mortar sportsbook regardless of how the Ravens deal shapes up. Either path could provide a way into MD for the online book, too.
What also remains unclear is how BetMGM will fare in terms of online market share in both DC and Maryland. In DC, its competition is minimal right now. Currently, that’s only a similarly geofenced William Hill Sportsbook and the DC Lottery’s GambetDC.
In MD, however, the contestants could be many. Maryland sports betting law allows for up to 60 licenses. BetMGM’s presence with the Ravens and at National Harbor could give it a leg up in terms of brand exposure, though.
What’s certain is that if you’re around Nationals Park and you want to get a bet down online, BetMGM is now at the plate. With this move, BetMGM is undoubtedly swinging for the fences in the DMV.