Two more sportsbook operators were approved to take bets in Virginia Sunday, bringing the total to three that can operate in the commonwealth just two weeks before one of sports' biggest betting events, the Superbowl.
DraftKings and BetMGM, the casino giant's online sports betting arm, both received temporary approvals Sunday, according to the Virginia Lottery website. They follow FanDuel, which was the first to gain temporary approval Thursday.
The DraftKings approval came in in time for the company to take bets for the NFL Conference Championship games Sunday, according to a press release from the company.
Virginia legalized sports betting in March, and online operators have been the first to take advantage of the change. Sports betting will also be allowed at retail sportsbooks and casinos in Virginia, though none of those have yet been approved by the lottery.
Virginia follows D.C., which approved sports betting in 2018 after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a ban on the practice. D.C.'s rollout has been fraught, however, with the D.C. Lottery's own betting app experiencing hiccups. There is currently one physical sportsbook in the District — it's located at Capital One Arena and operated by William Hill.
MGM intends to open a physical sportsbook and offer online sports betting at Nationals Park through its BetMGM app, it said earlier in January.
Maryland voters approved sports betting in November, though state regulators are will working to set up the state's gaming rules.
