Grand Central in Adams Morgan Granted First Ever Class B Sports Wagering License in Washington, DC
Washington, D.C. - Grand Central LLC has been granted the first ever Class B Operator license by the District of Columbia’s Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG) to operate a sportsbook within the Grand Central Restaurant and Bar. The Class B license allows for the operation of a full-service, independent sportsbook with no restrictions on maximum bets and all winnings can be redeemed on-site. Elys Game Technology, Corp. (a Nasdaq company) was granted a Class B Managed Service Provider license by OLG and will be the operator of the sportsbook and will also provide the betting kiosks and POS terminals.
The business must meet a significant checklist of security measures, as well as provide proper personnel training and complete the hardware installation before Grand Central can start accepting bets. Food and beverage service hours are 11:00 am to 2:00 am Sunday through Thursday and 11:00 am to 3:00 am Friday and Saturday. The Grand Central sportsbook will open by October 2021 and will open seven days a week, from 10:00 am to 1:00 am.
“We have been a part of the vibrant Adams Morgan neighborhood since Grand Central opened in 2007,” states owner Brian Vasile. “We are looking forward to offering our customers an extraordinary experience to bet on their favorite teams while enjoying lunch, dinner or team events and special games -- or even just dropping in to place a bet. We are hoping to be a part of the positive economic growth of this rooted residential and commercial neighborhood, as well as the greater D.C. area.”
Sports betting will be operational on-site with odds provided by Elys Game Technology Corp. Estimated delivery of the on-premise sportsbook mobile app that can only be used within the restaurant location is 2022. Elys will provide the kiosks as well as the digital sports betting system. Elys is a B2B global gaming technology company operating in multiple countries worldwide.
The Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act of 2018 legalized Sports Betting in the District and it became law on May 3, 2019. OLG regulates privately-operated sports wagering throughout the District, licensing and monitoring these operations and their gaming-related suppliers for compliance with applicable District and federal laws. The District collects a 10 percent tax on operators’ monthly gross gaming revenue.
Grand Central (www.grandcentraldc.com), an independently owned and operated bar and restaurant, located at 2447 18th Street, NW, Washington, D.C., is known for its pub fare and televised sports viewing.