D.C. Council member Kenyan McDuffie (I-At Large), who serves as chairman of the Committee on Business and Economic Development, convened a roundtable on sports wagering in the District on Jan. 18.
There are public concerns that usability, customer service, and seriously declining revenue are demonstrating that the current model being utilized by the D.C. Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG) is not working.
In testimony before the committee, D.C. Office of Lottery and Gaming Director Frank Suarez indicated his agency is working with a vendor partner, Intralot, to identify a new subcontractor for the sports wagering platform. McDuffie questioned Suarez on why it took so long to decide to move to another subcontractor that could have been operational by July. The council member noted that Maryland and Virginia’s sports wagering programs are robust and are utilized by District residents.
“This contract has been fraught during almost its entire existence,” said McDuffie. “Any changes must be done through a fully transparent process that inspires confidence and generates the type of revenue the District should expect. OLG must move forward expeditiously to build a procurement that addresses the concerns we’ve raised while also satisfying District-wide goals on Certified Business Enterprise performance and making significant improvements to participation and customer service.”
