Washington Gambling

There's good news and bad news if you're looking to gamble in Washington state. Land-based gambling is given a degree of freedom — but by no means is it a free-for-all. Despite a gray zone of legality, online gambling is not licensed and therefore unavailable legally to Washington players. Still, the good news is that players can enjoy sports betting in retail casinos. It became available in late 2021.

Existing law means that licensed casinos are legal and playable by anyone of legal age, but only on approved Native American reservations. While Las Vegas may be in a league of its own, don't be surprised to find some very classy casinos in Washington, too, courtesy of the Native Indian communities. Indeed, Tulalip Casino in Marysville is a fantastic venue, complete with Orca whales jumping from the resort's lake. The games on offer in the state's best casinos include poker, bingo, baccarat, slots and progressive jackpots.

Sports betting is now fully legal, but it is available to select tribal casino brands. Plus, if bettors want to bet via their mobile phones, they'll still have to be on the tribal casino grounds. Otherwise, it's impossible to place a bet. Snoqualmie Casino was the first one to offer sports betting in 2021, having passed a thorough examination by local authorities.

Horse race betting and some charitable gambling games are also permitted in the state. Another interesting option is the legal concept of "workplace gambling," which was made legal in 1973. The law allows a workplace to create one sports pool board for a specific event, with 100 squares, and charge up to $1 each. It's not real or high-stakes sports betting, but it's the best legal option aside from horse wagering.

Overall, the state of Washington has witnessed a long history of gambling battles over its legal status; some are still raging to this day.

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Online Casino Gambling in Washington

Not Legal

It's important to know that Washington, unlike some states, has written laws about playing online. Here it's illegal to play "any unregulated gambling" game. Indeed, in 2006, the state of Washington made a law that criminalized online gambling, and the ruling was reinforced in 2011. There are no legal channels to play online casino for real money and little interest from lawmakers to change these laws in the foreseeable future.

Washington Poker Online

Not Legal

Online poker players are in much the same boat. Unlike some other states, there's been little push for a regulated online poker market in the Evergreen State.

Sports Betting in Washington

Legal

Washington presents many entertainment options. Sports betting is one of them. However, unlike in many other states, there are specific sports betting limitations. While placing bets is legal, it's only possible in select tribal casinos. That also applies to online sports betting. You can use mobile apps as long as you're inside the casino. Still, it's a start for the state, which will probably continue regulating online sports betting to expand its presence.

Washington State Daily Fantasy

Not Legal

Washington is one of a handful of states where leading daily fantasy sites like DraftKings and Fanduel don't operate. The state previously pursued criminal charges against residents offering similar fantasy sports games and out-of-state providers have avoided the market for similar fears of legal charges. Lawmakers have held hearings about a daily fantasy legalization bill and, as much of the rest of the nation embraces these games, there could be changes. In the meantime, there are no legal avenues to play games like these.

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Hi, I'm Ron Fritz

"Ron Fritz is a former editor for Gambling.com."

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