District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.) 18+ Casinos

  • Washington DC District Of Columbia FlagNo Domestic Washington, D.C. Casinos For Players Of Any Age
  • The Closest Casino Near Washington, D.C. Is Located In Hanover, MD
  • 18+ Online And Mobile Casinos In D.C. Are Available Offshore

The US Capital, Washington, D.C., sits on the Potomac River between Maryland and Virginia. The city allows few gambling options besides the D.C. Lottery, and D.C. Keno offers charitable gambling and bingo games. This means there are no 18+ D.C. casinos available. However, the neighboring state of Maryland offers some land-based casino options, but these are restricted to players over the age of twenty-one.

While domestic land-based 18-plus casino gambling options are limited, there are licensed offshore online casinos accepting 18-year-olds. We will describe D.C.’s gambling laws, related 18-plus online casino laws, progress toward expanded gambling, and available licensed offshore 18-plus online casino resources.

Can You Gamble At 18 In D.C.?

Minimum Legal Gambling Age Icon With 18+ LicenseAll permitted forms of gambling in D.C.’s city limits allow the participation of players at least eighteen years of age. This means lottery gambling, bingo games at bars, and charitable gambling like bingo, raffles, Monte Carlo nights, etc., are available to young adults. However, pari-mutuel wagering, table game keno, casino, and poker gambling are illegal in the state, limiting domestic land-based gambling options.

While 18-year-olds have all of the access to D.C.’s allowed gambling forms and aren’t restricted by age, they also have the fewest gambling options. Advanced gambling, like table games, wagering, and casino games, is exciting and often brings the most rewards. Therefore, D.C. players often travel to states with 18+ casinos and other gambling forms.

However, a bill is on the legislative plate as of this writing, which will allow sports gambling within the city limits, adding to the city’s gambling offers. Until this bill passes, among others, D.C. players can legally gamble through licensed offshore online casino providers accepting eighteen-year-olds.

Is It Legal To Gamble Online in D.C.?

Yes, D.C. residents and visitors can legally gamble at licensed offshore online eighteen-plus casinos. Since the city does not offer any land-based casinos or online casino platforms, nor does the city have any formal prohibitions against the use of licensed offshore sites, young adults can use these internationally-based and regulated online casino platforms. No federal laws forbid their use, but there are laws against the operation of unauthorized online gambling platforms, especially in our nation’s capital.

Most Reliable 18+ Casinos For D.C. Players In 2024

These 18 plus online casino brands are licensed and regulated offshore ensuring their legality and legitimacy to use by District of Columbia residents over eighteen. D.C. players can enjoy various slot games, table games, poker games, live dealer games, and specialty games like keno, bingo, and scratch cards from these secure, high-quality online hosts.

Site NameBonusAgeUSAVisit Site
1Bovada Casino100% Max $3,00018+Play Now Full Review
2Slotslv Casino200% Max $5,00018+Play Now Full Review
3logo for cafe casino350% Max $2,50018+Play Now Full Review
4logo for Ignition Poker150% Max $3,00018+Play NowFull Review

What Washington, D.C. Casinos Are 18 and Up?

Washington, D.C. has no casinos within its city limits, but 18+ players can participate in offshore online casinos based overseas. Until local gambling laws in the District change, there will be no in-person casinos in the nation’s capital.

Brief History Of D.C.’s Gaming Legislation

Founded after the American Revolutionary War, this city contains iconic monuments and buildings, houses all three of the US Federal Government Branches, museums, and historic landmarks.

Up until 1982, all forms of gambling were illegal in Washington, D.C. Due to the city being the nation’s capital, gambling expansion wasn’t considered much.

However, in 1982, the District of Columbia’s lottery was made. Afterward, the Washington, D.C. Lottery oversaw legalized charitable gambling games like raffles, bingo, and Monte Carlo nights.

While there are no authorized land-based poker rooms or casino establishments, the city once tried to offer online forms of these games. On April 7, 2011, the city’s Council approved online casino and poker games as part of the city’s lottery one week before Black Friday. The measure was attached to a budget and was never debated.

Washington, D.C. was the first state to legalize any form of online gambling in the country beyond pari-mutuel wagering, but this shut down after the attack of Black Friday when online gambling sites went dark. However, pari-mutuel wagering, even off-track and online, is not permitted in the state even to this day.

Lottery tickets are not sold online either, despite a measure to do so in 2011, but the Council repealed the motion in 2012 before the online lottery’s launch.

Unlicensed gambling forms are specifically illegal, and participation in such is considered a misdemeanor offense.

18+ Online Casinos In D.C.

D.C. players over eighteen should follow our recommendations for legal casino gambling since there are limited options available for young adults locally and in neighboring states. Even those players fine with local gambling offers can find wider selections online, along with bonuses, extra rounds, progressive game options, and multiple variations of their favorite games.

FAQs

What Is The Minimum Legal Gambling Age In D.C.?

As mentioned above, D.C.’s minimum gambling age is 18. Eighteen-year-olds can play the lotto, bingo, and charitable games like raffles, bingo, and during Monte Carlo Nights. However, various other gambling forms are illegal in the District of Columbia as covered earlier on this page.

Is Sports Betting Coming To D.C.?

Due to swiftly moving legislation in the city for legalized sports gambling, D.C. residents can expect domestic state-licensed sports gambling options by spring of 2019. The D.C. sports gambling bill in question will allow retailers, bars, restaurants, businesses, and sports venues to host sports betting options through a mobile app (while on-site) or physical window/terminal.

Are Online Casino Games Considered Fair?

Licensed offshore online gambling providers utilize RNG technology, which randomizes outcomes for authentic results. This technology is regularly audited for true randomness and results and given a seal of approval once the audit shows no tampering or errors in the technology. All online casino providers we recommend have their RNG technology certified, providing fair online gameplay.

Do All Online Gaming Destinations Allow D.C. Players?

Not every online casino provider on the internet may accept American players, this includes D.C. players. This is because of certain licensing terms restricting online hosts from accepting US players on their platform. However, of the recommended brands we list in this guide, all accept D.C. residents.

Where Can I Find The Best Poker Rooms And Sportsbooks Online?

D.C. players can find licensed offshore online poker rooms and sportsbooks through these provided links. Each offers competitive features, bonuses, and perks.

  1. Bovada Sportsbook – 50% Bonus Max $250
  2. Betonline Sportsbook – 50% Bonus Max $2,500
  3. Sportsbetting.ag – 75% Bonus Max $1,000

Helpful Resources For Washington, DC Residents