Washington has always been strict when it comes to legal sports betting. Although sports wagering has been allowed since March 2020, it can only take place at tribal casinos. With many of the best sports betting sites now partnering with these casinos, there's hope Washington online betting could soon be more widespread. When this happens, sports bettors could find a far greater selection of sportsbooks in Washington state on offer.
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While many retail sports betting brands are positioned to go live soon, the first legal sports betting sites are yet to appear online. Given the sports betting law has been drafted and the partnerships are already in place, that should all change shortly. When legal sports betting in Washington state does go online, here are the brands we think are most likely to launch:
With BetMGM offering retail sports betting at the Emerald Queen Casino, the brand should be among the first to take sports betting online in Washington state. If that happens, BetMGM's WA sports betting app should provide plenty of boosts on Washington state sports teams
Caesars offers three WA retail sportsbooks at Chewelah Casino, Spokane Tribe Casino and Muckleshoot Casino, making it among the more likely Washington betting sites to launch. If it does, bettors will find a range of markets and offers, plus the famous Caesars Reward Program.
Operating out of the Clearwater Casino Resort, FanDuel will also be well-positioned to launch a Washington state sports betting app. Once it's set-up to offer Washington online gambling, it will provide a betting experience that encompasses everything from futures bets to props.
While Washington sports betting legislation prohibits wagering on fantasy sports contests, DraftKings is still partnered with two Washington State sports betting locations. Should it go online, users will find odds that put it up there with the best Washington sportsbook options.
When online sports betting in Washington State sites go live, WA sports betting should offer a choice of sign-up bonuses to customers, as well as a range of markets on most major sports. All sites will be available on your preferred mobile device at tribal casino locations within the state of Washington, with many popular payment methods supported.
When Washington state betting sites begin appearing online, there should be plenty of online sportsbook bonuses available. Initially, these will likely be in the form of a deposit match or a risk-free bet to entice new bettors to sign up. Beyond that, most sites will provide ongoing promotions, including free bets, odds boosts and bet specials on franchises like the Seattle Seahawks football team.
Many quick and easy mobile sports betting payment methods should be available in the state of Washington. All sites should support credit/debit card payments when they launch online. That said, given players will need to be at a Washington tribal sports betting location to wager online, the cashier cage may be the best choice.
We can expect to see some pretty top-notch features when the first Washington betting sites appear online. Customers will have no problem placing in-play sports bets, and should be able to draw on a host of live data to inform their wagers. Some brands may offer live streams for big events like baseball's World Series, meaning bettors will be able to watch while they wager.
When they do go live, WA apps should provide a slick and easy way for players to bet from tribal casino locations. All mobile sportsbook apps should be available on both Android and iOS devices and will use geolocation software to ensure players are situated on tribal land.
Naturally, those looking to place a WA sports bet will expect competitive odds and a wide range of betting lines. Between them, the brands that look likely to launch in Washington should have many of the best prices and offer all of the markets listed later in this article.
When online sports betting is new to a state, one of the most important things is to have a helpful and reliable customer support service. Thankfully, all of the brands set to launch in Washington provide help 24/7 via live chat, email and phone if bettors encounter any issues.
Of course, when you bet in Washington, you'll be doing so safe in the knowledge that you're wagering at a state-licensed site. This should provide Washington residents with additional peace of mind and will ensure operators in WA adhere to all responsible gambling measures.
Although Washington made sports betting legal in 2020, the laws are very different from those in other states. In order to place bets online, customers have to be physically located at one of the region's 35 tribal casinos. This is far less convenient than traditional online betting and is a big factor in why many of the best sports betting sites are still yet to launch in WA.
Legally-speaking, there's nothing stopping Washington sports betting from launching right away. The problem is most retail sportsbooks don't think the current legislation is fit for purpose. Until laws are amended, launching an online sportsbook could be seen as unappealing to some operators, who would need access to a larger customer base than they currently have.
To wager online, Washington residents will need to be aware of the following restrictions:
You’ll have access to thousands of markets when sports betting in Washington. Bet on your favorite sports from football and baseball to hockey and college sports.
With the National Football League being a pro organisation, customers in Washington will have no trouble betting on the NFL. Given Seattle is the most populous city in the state with 700,000 residents, this means there's likely to be plenty of action on the Seahawks.
Betting on the NBA will also be fair game in Washington. With the Seattle SuperSonics no longer in existence and no top-flight NBA teams playing in Idaho or Oregon, customers will have to look to Seattle Storm in the WNBA for local interest.
Betting on the MLB and events like the World Series will also be legal in WA, so expect the Seattle Mariners to feature heavily in odds boosts and specials in the state. Unfortunately, betting on the Washington State Cougars varsity team will not be allowed.
Betting on the NHL regular season and Stanley Cup will again be permitted in Washington state, both for retail sportsbooks and on-premises betting online. Again, the only professional team in the state is Seattle Kraken, which plays in NHL's Western Conference, Pacific Division.
Unlike in other states, betting on college sports will be expressly forbidden in Washington. These restrictions also cover nationwide events like March Madness, so bettors will have no access to NCAA markets either at retail sportsbooks or online.
While the access to Washington online sports betting may be restricted, the range of markets certainly won't be. Currently, all of the following options are available at retail venues and will likely feature on Washington state sports betting apps too.
Note: any betting on college sports will be prohibited in WA.
While it remains to be seen whether betting on horse racing will be offered in WA, it's legal to bet on the sport at several OTB locations within the state. Should one of these be partnered with a sportsbook, on-premises betting via an app would technically be possible.
The only team to have played in both AFC and NFC championship games, the Seahawks have appeared in three Super Bowls, winning in the 2013 season.
Back in 2001, the Mariners set an American record for most wins in a single season at 116, but the side currently hold the longest active play-off drought in MLB.
The Sounders are among the most successful sides in MLS history, having won the U.S. Open Cup four times, the MLS Cup twice and the Supporters Shield.
Previously the sister side of the Seattle SuperSonics, WNBA franchise the Storm have won four basketball championships in their history - most recently in 2020.
While it's hard to speculate what kind of online sportsbook bonuses might offer in WA under the current laws, should the state open up further we might expect to see the following offers:
A staple feature of most successful sportsbooks, free bets enable customers to bet on matches using bet tokens rather than their own cash. Should their free bet win, they'll usually need to rollover the profits several times before they can be withdrawn.
A risk-free bet will differ from free bets in the sense that they are issued after an initial wager has settled. Risk-free bets will typically invite a customer to wager a certain amount, which will be refunded to them in bet tokens should their bet not come in.
One of the most typical welcome offers around, this type of bonus helps customers get more value from their deposits. When they put money in their account, a deposit bonus will add a percentage on top in bonus funds, which must then be wagered before they can be withdrawn.
Something of a speciality of BetMGM, odds boosts offer enhanced prices on selected markets, often featuring in-state teams. Profit boosts are similar, but are usually used for parlay bets, where the more legs you add, the greater the potential boost will be.
Parlay insurance is a system where if a multi-leg bet lets you down by one result, you'll receive a portion of it back in bet credits. This can help take the sting out of big sports bets that fall apart at the very last hurdle.
Most online sportsbooks feature some kind of loyalty scheme. Typically, this will enable users to collect points as they bet, with these points being redeemable for cash and bonuses. Caesars Rewards Scheme is one of the best available.
Making deposits at WA sportsbooks should be relatively straightforward. Washington state residents will likely be able to pay funds directly into their online account via the cashier cage at their chosen retail venue or by using a mobile betting app while on-premises.
The process for making withdrawals should be largely the same. As customers will need to be on-site to bet, verifying their ID should be no problem and as far as we're aware, there are no rules preventing them from withdrawing remotely.
The laws in Washington are quite different from those in other states. While sports betting has been legal since 2020 at retail venues, online regulations are very strict. Customers can only legally bet at a WA sportsbook online while present at the brand's retail premises. They also can't bet on any sports involving college teams, in-state or otherwise. Gambling winnings are not taxed in WA, while accessing offshore sportsbooks is not technically prohibited.
There are pros and cons to using both regulated and offshore sportsbooks. You may find offshore sites are easier to access and offer more markets and payment options, but do you really know what you're signing up for? With a locally-regulated sportsbook, you know exactly where you stand and who to contact should you have a dispute. Because of this, we'd recommend playing at regulated sites you know you can trust, but if you do feel the need to register at an offshore platform, make sure it's one we've thoroughly reviewed first.
1. Play at reputable sites
Although the online gambling rules in WA are strict, players should feel very secure that any operator who goes online will be safe and trustworthy. While you could technically access an offshore sportsbook, doing so would be at your own discretion.
2. Set a budget
A simple but important rule. Setting a budget enables you to never bet more than you can afford to lose and should stop you from chasing your losses. If you're concerned about your betting behavior, be sure to visit your sportsbook's responsible gaming page.
3. Always read T&Cs of promos
Any kind of promotion - especially welcome offers aimed at new customers - will come with T&Cs attached. Make sure you familiarize yourself with these before accepting any offer so you don't miss out on the bonus being offered.
4. Know your bets
To be a successful sports bettor, it's essential to know which bets work for which sports. As different markets require different approaches, we'd advise brushing up on your strategy by reading our betting guides.
5. Compare multiple betting sites/apps
Remember, if you don't like the odds at one site, there's nothing stopping you from opening an account with another. Registering with multiple sportsbooks will allow you to shop around for the best odds and offers so you always get maximum value.
Yes. Online sports betting has been legal in WA since 2020, but the first online sportsbooks are still yet to launch in the state. The reason for this is customers can only bet using them from tribal venues, giving sportsbooks limited reach in the state.
Currently there are only two options. The first - and the one we recommend - is to visit your local tribal venue and use a computer or device to wager there. The second is to conduct your online betting at an offshore sportsbook.
You can, but it's currently heavily restricted. As customers must be on the premises of a local retail sportsbook to bet at a WA online sports betting site, some of the bigger sportsbooks are currently calling for legislation to be relaxed.
Technically it already is - the first online sports betting apps in Washington state just haven't launched yet. Given some of the big-brands that have gotten involved with the Indian tribes, however, we'd tentatively say it's coming soon.
Sports betting and online sports betting are both governed by the same laws set out in 2020. While the former has been steadily conducted at retail sportsbooks throughout the state, the latter is yet to fully take off.
You can legally bet on most professional sports and Olympic events in Washington state. One thing you absolutely can't bet on, however, is college sports, which are expressly forbidden in the current legislation.
DraftKings has a partnership in place with both the Tulalip Resort Casino and the Quil Ceda Creek Casino in WA. While this could technically see sportsbook accept online bets from either venue, it's yet to launch in the state.
FanDuel has a partnership agreement in place with the Clearwater Casino Resort in WA. This makes the brand one of the more likely online sportsbooks to feature in the state, but so far no betting app has been launched.
You can bet on sports at tribal venues throughout WA. Most casino sites in the state offer their own retail sportsbook, and others have partnered with well-known national operators. You can't, however, wager online from your home.
It's not, it's just heavily restricted. The laws in Washington state were designed to benefit the Indian tribes in the area, who in turn invest a portion of profits in local initiatives. As such, all sports betting must take place on tribal land.
It's hard to imagine a state with as strict rules as WA wouldn't enforce responsible sports betting when the first apps go live. Expect to find responsible gaming sections on each app, with links to problem gambling organizations and rules on how to set up restrictions such as:
"Duncan Wilkie is an award-winning writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience in the iGaming industry. He graduated in 2006 with a 1st Class Honors degree in Sports Journalism. He was a staff writer and editor at WPT Poker Magazine. He has since contributed to publications such as Poker Player, Bluff and Gambling Insider and a four-year stint working as Copy Team Lead for Entain."
Reviewer since August 2021
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