Online betting in Washington State is in a complex situation and currently is restricted within tribal lands, considered a felony. The Evergreen State has the most stringent laws regarding gambling on the internet in the whole USA. The lack of sports betting platforms and mobile sportsbooks impacts the revenue and growth potential of Washington. Is sports betting legal in Washington? What options do you have with gambling and betting? This guide gives you the answers to these questions and tells you how to bet on sports in Washington State.
Here are the top-rated Washington online sportsbooks where you can place bets and register with no risk. These are licensed and reputable platforms for sports fans in WA state.
| Online casino | Expert rating | Welcome Bonus | Distinctive features | Payment Methods | Read full casino review | Secure link | Significant Terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetMGM SportsBook | Up to $1,500 Paid Back in Bonus Bets |
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| Claim Bonus! | Read Sportsbook Review | Terms & Conditions apply | |
| Borgata SportsBook | Bet $20 Get $100 |
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| Claim Bonus! | Terms & Conditions apply | ||
| Fanatics Sportsbook | Up to $1,000 |
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| Claim Bonus! | Read Sportsbook Review | Terms & Conditions apply |
Is online sports betting legal in Washington, and if so, are there specific regulations and licensed operators for such activities? Keep reading to learn more about the gambling environment in the state.
Players can gamble safely at the best Michigan betting sites, the most trusted NY sportsbooks, the best Pennsylvania online sports betting sites, and most of the rest of the US states casinos and sportsbooks. The situation with online sports betting in Washington is more complicated.
Washington sports betting was legalized on March 25, 2020, and launched about a year later. Betting on the internet and retail sportsbooks are allowed only within tribal casino land. Currently, three betting platforms have mobile sports betting apps. These are BetMGM, Caesars and Snoqualmie sportsbooks. BetMGM app is very user-friendly and pleasant to use.
Thankfully, the state has completely regulated mobile, online, and retail sports betting. But you must adhere to certain conditions, namely that all betting must take place on tribal land, even when you use your cell phone. Sports betting is not prohibited unless under these conditions. More about the specifics read below.
Is sports betting legal in Washington? If so, are there forms of betting that are allowed here? Here you will learn the answers to these questions and more.
For now, land-based poker and gambling games at authorized locations within the state (tribal casinos) are permitted.
Live poker is also lawful at licensed facilities if the following conditions are met:
Social gambling is also lawful in the Evergreen State under the following terms:
Placing bets on horse racing is regulated by the law in Washington State. Online horse racing betting, off-track betting (OTBs), and racetracks are all permitted. The age requirement for online horse betting is 21, while for pari-mutuel wagers done in person at racetracks and OTBs you need to be 18 or older.
Washington State sports betting became legal on March 25, 2020, when Governor Jay Inslee signed HB2638 into law. This allowed every federally recognized Native American tribe in WA to provide betting services on their land. To operate lawfully, the tribe must have a casino location and correct its gambling compact.
Currently, 96 licensed casinos operate in Washing State, 17 of which have dedicated sportsbooks. The Snoqualmie Casino was the first sportsbook to open doors in the Evergreen State, which took place in September 2021. Ever since, the casino has been accepting bets over the counter and through an app when on property grounds.
The online legal form of Washington sports betting is when done within the premises of licensed tribal casinos. So, players who place bets on land-based sportsbooks, can do it online using the regulated respective internet Washington betting sites.
Online and mobile betting are legal on the condition that they are implemented on tribal grounds. The bettors are free to use mobile devices to place bets, but mobile sports betting is geo-locked. You can engage in it within the grounds of one of the state tribal casinos through their native app. This means that you need to travel to a tribal casino to place your bets.
Several retail sportsbooks offer mobile sports betting via apps accessible when visiting their physical casino locations. The fact that the Washington State sports betting apps and websites are restricted to the land of the tribal casino they are operated by has led the market to focus primarily on commercial tribal Washington sportsbooks.
| Sportsbook | Location | Owner | Launch date | Online betting / Gambling website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emerald Queen Casino & Hotel (Tacoma) (partners with BetMGM) | 2920 East R St., Tacoma, WA 98404 | the Puyallup Tribe of Indians | Dec. 20, 2021 | Yes |
| Emerald Queen Casino at Fife (partners with BetMGM) | 5700 Pacific Highway East Fife, WA 98424 | the Puyallup Tribe of Indians | Dec. 27, 2021 | Yes |
| Muckleshoot Casino (partners with Caesars) | 2402 Auburn Way S, Auburn, WA 98002 | the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe | April 1995 | No |
| Chewelah Casino rebranded as the Mistequa Casino Hotel (partners with Caesars) | 2555 Smith Rd, Chewelah, WA 99109 | the Spokane Tribe | 2008 | No |
| Spokane Tribe Casino (partners with Caesars) | 14300 US-2, Airway Heights, WA 99001 | the Spokane Tribe of Indians | January 8, 2018 | No |
| Quil Ceda Creek Casino (partners with DraftKings) | 6221 31st Ave NE, Tulalip, WA 98271 | the Tulalip Tribes of Washington | 2004 | No |
| Quil Ceda Creek Casino (partners with DraftKings) | 10200 Quil Ceda Blvd, Tulalip, WA 98271 | the Tulalip Tribes of Washington | 2004 | No |
| Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort (partners with FanDuel) | 15347 Suquamish Way NE, Suquamish, WA 98392 | the Port Madison Enterprises | 1995; moved to its current building in 2003 | No |
The Washington Indian Gaming Association is a non-profit organization that represents federally recognized tribes in the state. WIGA is a trade union committed to promoting tribal self-sufficiency and improving the lives of Native Americans in all aspects: economically, socially, and politically.
Before exercising in any form of gambling online, such as sports betting or casino gaming, you need to know the answer to the question is betting legal in Washington State. The betting history of Washington State is marked by prolonged periods of resistance to gambling, followed by gradual changes toward the legalization and regulation of sports bets. Below are the key moments of the most important events:
Is sports betting legal in Washington? What forms are allowed and when will the situations change? Here are the key moments in the history of sports wagering development in the state.
In 1910 all forms of gambling used to be illegal. The situation changed 23 years later (in 1933) when pari-mutuel betting and horse race betting became allowed. The Washington State Gambling Commission that controls all gambling activities was formed in 1973. During the 1980s – 1990s period, all forms of gambling, including sports betting had been banned.
Despite the increased enthusiasm for sports betting, the federal ban under PASPA in 2000 did not allow it. One of the most important laws in the WA history was Senate Bill SSB 6613 of 2006. It outlawed operating and participating in all online gambling activities within the state. Moreover, this law made games of chance and betting on the internet a Class C felony, which can imprison breachers for up to 5 years and impose a $10,000 fine. Senate Bill SSB 6613 is still the most draconian measure in the USA laws to this day.
From 2015 to 2017 were put efforts to make online poker lawful with the introduction of Bill HB 1114. However, they were unfruitful and the bill it did not pass.
Another pivotal moment in the history of gambling was when Governor Inslee signed House Bill 2638 in March 2020, which legalized sports betting done according to the terms of the tribal-state gaming agreements. This is how sports betting became regulated and legal on the territory of tribal casinos.
Washington state’s first retail sportsbook Snoqualmie Casino was opened in September 2021. It provided in-person betting and later online sports betting for in-app use on tribal grounds. The following years 2022 and 2023, sports betting remained constrained only to tribal casinos’ territory. Both House Bill 1630 and Senate Bill 5587 of January 2024 aim to broaden the scope of sports wagering and allow non-tribal facilities to provide it as a service.
Globally and in the USA, the rise of online gambling platforms is a fact. But is sports betting legal in Washington State? The short answer is yes under certain conditions, namely betting on the territory of tribal casinos only.
The Washington State Gaming Commission is the regulatory body responsible for online sports betting in the state. You must be 21 or older to bet on sports with one exception. The age requirement for online horse betting is 21, while for pari-mutuel wagers done in person at racetracks and OTBs you need to be 18 or older.
Legal sports betting age
| Betting type | Legal age at land-based establishment | Legal age online | Legal since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casinos & Slot Machines | 18 | Not Legal | 1971 (Tribal Casinos) |
| Pari-Mutuel Betting (Horse Racing) | 18 | Not Legal | 1933 |
| State Lottery | 18 | Not Legal | 1982 |
| Sports Betting | 18 | Not Legal | March 25, 2020 |
Is sports betting legal in Washington? To help you select the best WA betting sites that operate legally we analyze and test the leading online sportsbooks against our own criteria. Below, we present and summarize it as we believe these are the things each online sportsbook should offer as a standard. These include great promotions, high-class customer support, and diverse and many sports betting markets to choose from.
We prefer WA sports betting sites that provide a variety of different markets across the sport they offer and many of them. We look for sports betting markets that go beyond the moneyline, total betting, and point spread standard and will offer prop bets and many other types of bets. Our recommended Washington online sportsbooks for best online betting experience offer various markets to meet the demands of all bettors.
One of the essential things for sports fans is the promotions they can get. The top sports betting operators offer not only welcome deals but ongoing bonuses as well. Most of the best Washington sports betting sites give generous deals to newly registered and regular sports enthusiasts alike.
The leading Washington betting sites should offer sports competitions from all parts of the world. A wide range of US and world sports is what we look for. The platforms we recommend will offer at least 10-15 sports you can bet on.
The WA online sportsbooks we have chosen use SSL encryption to ensure that the transmitted data is kept safe. Some Washington State sports betting operators provide how they use, and store customer data, which is also an advantage we like to see.
Regardless of how easy and intuitive to use are the WA sports betting sites we present on this page, sometimes things can go wrong. In such cases, you’ll need access to top-quality customer service and operators who deal with each issue speedily and effectively. We expect Washington betting sites to have at least an email address and live chat functionality. Even better is when they provide a phone number for calling the team and speaking with the representatives.
A good range of trusted payout options is a must for the best WA betting sites. We expect them to allow card and bank transfers, accept at least one third-party service, and crypto, or at the very least offer Bitcoin as a payment method. Among the best WA betting sites there are platforms that allow crypto banking only, and these should accept a wide range of cryptocurrencies.
| Best overall sports betting platform | BetMGM |
|---|---|
| Range of bets | Borgata |
| Excellent bonuses | BetRivers |
| Top events | DraftKings |
| Safe and reliable online sportsbook | Caesars |
| Responsive and kind customer service | BetMGM |
| Great payment methods | DraftKings |
| Best browser and app user interface | Caesars |
Home to 8 million people, the Evergreen State ensures good prerequisites for lots of sports to flourish. It’s not surprising that the most popular sports teams are based in the largest city and metropolitan area in the state – Seattle. The law prohibits only sports betting on in-state college teams, despite how popular and widespread these draws are. If you want to engage in college sports betting in Washington, you need to do out outside the state.
Football is the most popular sport in the USA, so it is no surprise that NFL games are the American sports bettors’ biggest draw in the country, Washington state included. The latter is home to a single NFL team, namely the Seattle Seahawks. The team partners with the Snoqualmie Casino, which has the opportunity to use the local Seattle team logo for promotions and advertising.
Washingtonians love baseball so it’s no surprise that the sport is presented at various levels, from collegiate to professional minor leagues. The state’s college baseball team Washington State University Cougars competes in the NCAA’s Division I Mountain West Conference. Their home games take place at Bailey-Brayton Field in Pullman.
The WA state has three Minor League Baseball teams affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB) organizations:
In previous years, hockey discussions in Washington were limited as the sport did not provoke any interest. With the arrival of the NHL’s latest team Seattle Kraken this has changed and now Seattle has become its home. The Seattle Kraken now play at the Climate Pledge Arena. Given the close proximity of the Vancouver Canucks, located just across the US-Canada border from Seattle, makes it highly likely that there is a significant presence of Canucks fans in the Seattle region as well.
Washington was the home of the 1979 NBA champions the Seattle SuperSonics. Unfortunately, after the 2007-08 season, that franchise went to Oklahoma City to become the Thunder.
Washingtonians may no longer have an NBA team, but still, they have one for every other Big Four league: the Seattle Kraken (NHL), the Seattle Seahawks (NFL), and the Seattle Mariners (MLB). Worth mentioning is that the Seahawks were the winners of the 2013 Super Bowl.
The State of Washington has many other professional and semi-professional teams. The most notable of all is the Seattle Storm. This is a Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) team with four championship winnings. Numerous college teams such as the Seattle Redhawks, Gonzaga Bulldogs, Washington Huskies, and Washington State Cougars deserve to be on this list too.
The Seattle Kraken are the youngest NHL formed as an expansion ice hockey team in 2018 that debuted in 2021. The team is not yet in Stanley Cup competition yet, but achieving this requires more time. The Kraken is playing in the state-of-the-art Climate Pledge Arena, which uses cashier-less technology.
The Seattle Seahawks, founded as an NFL expansion team in 1976, did not become a real force until the early 2000s. Once the team moved to their Lumen Field home in 2002, they have been consistent contenders for the playoffs. Lumen Field seats over 70,000 fans and is a well-knows year-round venue. Seattle Seahawks’ stadium is so loud and noisy that the reaction to Marshawn Lynch’s legendary Beast Quake run was recorded as an earthquake. The Seattle Seahawks have one Super Bowl victory so far, won in 2013.
Washington State can be proud of its super successful franchise – the Seattle Sounders of Major League Soccer. The team has resurrected the identity of the old Sounders. The Seattle Sounders are consistently among the best soccer clubs in the league. They have two MLS Cup championships, in 2016 and 2019, having finished second in 2017 and 2020. By far, only the LA Galaxy and D.C. United have won more titles than the Sounders.
Considering a trip to Washington State and curious about the gambling scene? You might ask, “Is betting legal in Washington and what kinds of games of chance can I play there”?
Washington’s stance on online gambling has been among the stringent in the country since 2006 when Senate Bill 6613 was signed into law. The bill banned all forms of online gambling within the Evergreen State, and with it all WA casinos and sportsbooks. This legislation aims to protect the tribal gaming industry, but it does so by classifying transferring gambling data as a felony punishable by up to five years in prison.
The good news is that this law has never been enforced against online players. Moreover, a 2018 court ruling extended the gambling definition to include virtual chips on social gambling sites, resulting in fierce legal battles and solid repayments by online casinos and sportsbooks.
Washington has thirty-five tribal casinos that provide various gambling services, such as slot-like lottery terminals, poker, and table games. After disagreements on the legality of slot games, the federal court allowed tribes to install lottery terminals that remind of modern video slots. The state permits non-house-banked card games in cardrooms as well, ensuring a richer gambling landscape.
Washington has over 50 establishments that offer 280+ poker tables at tribal and non-tribal venues. Live poker at land-based casinos is legal, while online poker is still considered a felony in WA state. Although efforts to legalize online poker have been made, they have not been fruitful.
Pari-mutuel horse race betting in Washington dates back to 1933. Emerald Downs is the state’s premier racetrack. The industry was enriched with online account betting and off-track betting satellite facilities, which are overseen by the Washington Horse Racing Commission. Pari-mutuel betting at horse racetracks is legal in the state. Individuals can place these wagers in person at race tracks and at off-track betting shops and bureaus (OTBs). Residents and visitors can place pari-mutuel bets on horse races at locations within the state, as well as online at licensed platforms.
Internet gambling is prohibited in WA, that’s why daily fantasy sports are too. The Washington State Lottery was founded in 1972 and currently provides diverse intrastate games. Online ticket purchases, however, are strictly banned. Similarly, commercial, and charitable bingo games may be permitted, but online interactions of this kind remain unlawful.
| Allowed types of gambling | Minimum legal age | Subtypes of gambling allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial land-based casinos | 21 | Casinos, retail sports betting, and pari-mutuel |
| Internet gambling at tribal casino venues | 21 | Online/mobile casinos, sports betting, DFS, and poker; in person and online at licensed horse racing sites |
| Tribal casinos | 18 | – |
| Poker rooms | 21 | – |
| Horse racing | 18 | – |
| Pari-mutuel betting | 18 | In person at race tracks and at off-track betting shops and bureaus (OTBs) |
| Charitable gambling | 18 | Bingo, poker, raffles, “Millionaire parties” |
| Lottery | 18 | – |
| Sports Betting | 21 | – |
“Is sports betting legal in Washington?” is a question that has a complex answer as there are many nuances to consider. As mentioned, the state legislation is one of the strictest in the entire USA as it restricts online gambling and its various options. If you want to place bets online, you can do it legally only by using tribal casinos’ sports betting apps and you must be present on their grounds.
Online betting in Washington State is currently limited. While placing sports wagers are lawful at tribal casinos, there are no options for Washington betting sites or mobile wagers outside tribal lands. On this page you will find the best WA betting sites you can rely on.
On the positive side, discussions and legal challenges on the exclusivity of sports betting to tribal casinos have taken place. Gambling providers have advocated for a mobile option as a way to make sports betting more accessible in the state. However, for the moment individuals have no legal Washington State sports betting apps or mobile betting platforms they can use. To sum up, while there’s hope for future changes, the current status of online sports betting and online gambling in WA state is limited to tribal casino grounds.
You can use mobile apps on the territory of tribal casinos to engage in online betting in Washington State. Otherwise, sports betting platforms of any kind are illegal.
Knowing how to bet online in Washington State safely will help you follow the regulations. The lawful options are limited to tribal casino gambling and sports wagering. Two racetracks operate in WA – Emerald Downs and Sun Downs. Both provide live wagering on horse race betting. Dozens of authorized off-track betting facilities function at various gambling facilities around the state.
Yes, but only if you bet on horse races through a mobile device in Washington. You can place bets on sports in person at a commercial casino. Snoqualmie Casino offers its own on-site mobile app.
Yes, you can place legal wagers on professional sports teams based in WA. But you cannot wager on in-state collegiate teams or events when you are within the state. You need to be physically located outside state lines to bet on local college Washington sports teams. So, college sports betting on local teams is not permitted within the state.
Yes, you can but Washington sports betting apps are legal only when offered on tribal lands.
No, at the moment online gambling, DFS, and the lottery included, are not allowed forms of gambling.
