Editorial StandardsEditorial Policy

Independence

BettingInDC operates with strict separation between editorial decisions and commercial relationships:

• Ratings are produced editorially. No operator can pay for, negotiate, or otherwise influence a rating. The rating methodology is published in full so any reader can challenge a rating.
• Rankings are produced editorially. The order in which sportsbooks appear on the home page and the sportsbooks hub reflects our editorial judgment of best fit for DC bettors, not commission rates or affiliate priorities.
• Critical content remains critical. Every review includes both pros AND cons. We publish negative findings even on operators with whom we have active affiliate relationships.
• Affiliate links are clearly labeled. Outbound sportsbook links use rel="sponsored nofollow" in line with Google\'s 2020 Webmaster Guidelines. Bonus terms are reproduced from the operator\'s posted offer, not from marketing materials.
• Operators do not preview content. Reviews are not shared with sportsbooks before publication for any kind of approval, "fact-check," or input on tone.

Sourcing standards

We source factual claims to three primary categories:

1. Primary regulatory documents. The DC Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG) public licensing records, DC Council legislative documents (Bill 22-944 and subsequent budget amendments), and the DC Sports Wagering regulations themselves.
2. Operator product pages. Live bonus terms, welcome offer mechanics, market coverage, app feature lists, and customer service contact information are sourced from the sportsbook\'s current DC product page.
3. Operator press releases and public filings. Launch dates, partnership announcements, executive statements, and similar are sourced from the operator\'s public communications.

Secondary sources (other sports betting media, analyst reports) are used for context but never for primary factual claims. Where a claim depends on a secondary source, we either verify it against a primary source or label the claim as reported rather than confirmed.

Fact-checking process

Every published page goes through:

• Draft review by a human editor against the source list above.
• Cross-check of every dated factual claim (launch dates, license fees, tax rates) against an authoritative source.
• Operator product verification for current bonuses, payment methods, and app feature lists.
• Math review for any calculation in bet-type guides (we test the inline calculators against worked examples).

The "Updated" date in the byline at the top of every page reflects the date of the most recent full editorial review.

Affiliate disclosure

BettingInDC earns money through affiliate partnerships with licensed DC sportsbook operators. When a reader clicks a "Visit Sportsbook," "Claim Bonus," or similar outbound link to an operator and subsequently registers and deposits, BettingInDC may receive a commission. This is the standard affiliate model used by every major sports betting media site in the United States.

This compensation comes at no extra cost to the reader. The bonus the reader receives is identical to what they would receive going directly to the operator\'s site. Commission rates vary by operator and by deal type but do not affect editorial scoring or ranking.

Affiliate links are present on:

• Operator review pages (within the page and at the footer CTA).
• Sportsbook cards on the home page.
• The bonus comparison table.
• QuickBetList components on team and sport pages.
• The sportsbooks hub page.

Non-commercial outbound links (DC OLG resources, responsible gambling helplines, regulatory documents) are NOT affiliate links and use rel="noopener" only.

Corrections policy

When we publish something incorrectly, we issue a correction. Corrections take one of two forms:

• Inline updates for minor factual or numerical updates (a new bonus headline, a revised app rating, an updated address). The page is silently re-saved and the "Updated" date refreshes.
• Dated correction notes at the bottom of the page for material errors (a legal claim that was incorrect, a sportsbook attributed the wrong feature, a math error in a calculator). The note specifies what changed, when, and why.

To report a correction, email [email protected] with the specific page and your evidence. We respond to every report.

Update cadence by content type

• Operator reviews: full review quarterly; bonus values verified monthly.
• Regulatory/law content: reviewed at each DC Council session or whenever the OLG issues a public statement.
• Team pages: reviewed at the start and end of each team\'s season.
• Sport pillar pages: reviewed seasonally.
• Bet-type guides: reviewed annually unless industry mechanics change.
• Retail venue pages: hours and addresses verified quarterly; major changes (renovations, ownership shifts) updated immediately.

AI usage

BettingInDC uses AI tools to assist with research, structure, drafting, and editing. AI is part of our workflow the same way it is at most modern publishing operations.

Specifically:

• Where AI is used: first-draft outlines, initial draft prose, structural editing, fact-cross-check against published sources, and tooling automation (OG image generation, related-content link maps, calculator math validation).
• Where AI is NOT used: editorial judgment on ratings or rankings, final fact-checking against primary sources, decisions about which operators to cover or rank where, response to correction reports.
• Human editorial oversight: every published page is reviewed by a human editor before posting and re-reviewed at the regular update cadence. Where AI produces a factual statement, the human editor verifies it against a primary source before publication.

We don\'t use AI to fabricate quotes, generate fake user testimonials, or produce content attributed to people who didn\'t write it.

Responsible gambling commitments

BettingInDC follows responsible-publishing standards aligned with the National Council on Problem Gambling:

• Every page includes the 24/7 NCPG helpline (1-800-522-4700) and the 1-800-GAMBLER line in the footer.
• The DC OLG self-exclusion program is explained on every operator review and on the home page responsible gaming section.
• We don\'t frame gambling as a financial solution. Copy avoids language like "easy money," "guaranteed wins," "double your paycheck," or anything that frames betting as an income source or debt-payoff strategy.
• We don\'t target at-risk readers. Marketing language doesn\'t target self-excluded individuals, people in financial distress, or anyone under DC\'s legal age of 18.
• We disclose bet risk. Bet-type guides explain that all sports betting carries financial risk and that long-term sportsbook margins favor the house.
• Concerns about content effects on at-risk readers can be sent to [email protected].

User-generated content

BettingInDC does not currently host user comments, forums, reviews, or community features. If we add user-generated content in the future, the policies above will be extended to cover moderation, disclosure of user identity protections, and removal procedures.

Privacy

See the Privacy Policy for details on what reader data is collected (limited analytics; no personally identifiable information unless voluntarily submitted) and how third-party services (analytics, affiliate networks) may set cookies.

Changes to this policy

This editorial policy is reviewed annually. Material changes (anything affecting how content is produced, sourced, or disclosed) trigger a publication of the updated policy with a dated change note at the bottom of this page. Minor wording changes are reflected in the "Updated" date in the byline.