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Washington, D.C.’s proposed Internet Gaming and Consumer Protection Act of 2026 would create a regulated online casino market that includes poker, but it faces a decisive legislative deadline on Dec. 15. B26-0656 must clear the Committee on Human Services and receive final Council reading at that Legislative Meeting, or it will lapse at the end of the current Council period.

Councilmember Wendell Felder filed the measure on April 9. It remained in the Human Services Committee as of mid-September, despite a May 4 public hearing and a later budget recommendation that contemplated a fund for online casino revenue. That recommendation did not advance the bill itself out of committee.

Under Council Rule 418, a permanent measure without final reading by the Dec. 15 meeting lapses when Council Period 26 ends at 11:59 a.m. on Jan. 2, 2027. A measure that does not complete the process would have to be introduced again in Council Period 27.

The bill would allow online casino-style games, including poker, blackjack and roulette, for players aged 21 and older. The Office of Lottery and Gaming would regulate licensed operators. It would not cap the number of licenses, according to SportsLine.

A license would cost $2 million initially and run for five years, with renewal fees of up to $500,000. Existing D.C. sports-betting operator licensees would receive expedited review for an online casino license, while every licensee would need a Certified Business Enterprise participation plan.

Poker would be offered under the same Office of Lottery and Gaming license as an operator’s other online casino products. Operators would pay a 25% tax on adjusted gross gaming revenue, plus a 2% assessment for a new Community Reinvestment Fund. The fund would support job training, personal-finance assistance and people experiencing gambling problems.

Felder’s office projected more than $10 million in upfront license fees, about $50 million in annual revenue and more than $75 million annually within five years. In late-May FY2027 budget discussions, Felder said online casino revenue could be directed to consumer protection and public health.

The proposal also targets dual-currency sweepstakes platforms where virtual credits can be exchanged, directly or indirectly, for cash or prizes. CDC Gaming reported that violations could draw fines of up to $100,000 per incident and $500,000 for repeat offenses. The Office of Lottery and Gaming would also be authorized to issue cease-and-desist orders against unlicensed online sweepstakes operators in the District.

The May hearing included Thomas R. Burnside, executive director of the Office of Lottery and Gaming, according to the D.C. Office of the Chief Financial Officer. Caesars Entertainment, DraftKings and BetMGM supported the bill. BetMGM’s Robert O’Connor argued that online casino gaming works best as a complement to in-person betting, while Committee Chair Matthew Frumin said the platforms targeted by the measure lack meaningful consumer protections and District regulatory oversight.

The proposal has also drawn opposition. At a July 24 hearing involving lawmakers, operators, consumer advocates and responsible-gambling organizations, Felder cited about $700 million in illegal gambling wagers in the District during 2024 and said the market already exists outside local oversight. Les Bernal of Stop Predatory Gambling argued District residents could lose about $400 million over five years through government-sponsored gambling, calling the plan “Taxation by exploitation.”

If the Council passes the bill in two votes, it would go to the mayor and then face a mandatory 30-day congressional review before becoming law, unless Congress intervenes.