SPORTS WAGERING CBE AND SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

A key objective in legalizing sports wagering in the District of Columbia is to create opportunities for small and local businesses to participate in the sports wagering industry.

The Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG) shall only issue an Operator License (Class A and Class B) or Management Services Provider License to Applicants who meet the Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD)’s Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) and Small Business Development Program Requirements as detailed in D.C. Official Code §§ 36-621.05, 06 and 16; Title 30 DCMR §§ 2101, 2102, 2103 and 2134.

Specifically, the OLG shall only issue an Operator License (Class A and Class B) or Management Services Provider License to Applicants who meet the following local business requirements:

(1) In conjunction with the application for license the Applicant submits to DSLBD, for approval, a Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) plan that demonstrates which at least 35% of the Applicant’s operating budget will be subcontracted with one or more CBEs; or

(2) Is a certified joint venture pursuant to the CBE act, where the joint venture has a CBE majority interest and is also certified as either a Small Business Enterprise (SBE), Disadvantage Business Enterprise (DBE), or Resident-owned Business (ROB); or for more information on developing a CBE Plan and the submission and review process, click here for DSLBD’s Sports Wagering FAQs or email DSLBD at cbe.info@dc.gov.

(3) Obtains a waiver from DSLBD of the contracting or joint venture requirements of the CBE.

An Applicant that is a CBE or a certified joint venture shall not be required to comply with the CBE minimum thirty-five percent (35%) expenditure requirement, provided the CBE or certified joint venture performs at least fifty percent (50%) of its contracting effort with its own organization and resources.

An Applicant’s CBE Plan or joint venture must be approved by DSLBD before the OLG can issue an (Standard, Renewal or Provisional) Operator or Management Services Provider License.

For more information on developing a CBE Plan and the submission and review process, contact DSLBD at cbe.info@dc.gov or visit https://dslbd.dc.gov/page/sports-betting-dslbd.

Click here to download the required forms.

Completed CBE Plans can be submitted by:

Email:  swcbeplan@dc.gov

Mail: Office of Lottery and Gaming
Division of Sports Wagering Regulation & Oversight
Attention: Executive Office
2235 Shannon Place, S.E. Washington, DC 20020

Sports Wagering CBE Plans may also be hand-delivered to the above-listed address.

  • Please be sure you have entered your OLG Sports Wagering Licensing Application Number on the CBE Plan form.
  • Incomplete CBE Plans or plans that do not reference an OLG Sports Wagering Licensing Application Number will not be accepted.
  • Please direct questions or concerns regarding CBE Plan submissions to swcbeplan@dc.gov.