Washington Casinos

Washington Gambling History

The WA gambling history is comprehensive, but the following are the most important milestones:

• 1889: The WA constitution illegalized gambling to curb the problem.

• 1909: Washington banned horse racing.

• 1933: The WA legislature legalized pari-mutuel betting. 

• 1937: The state legalized slot machines purposely for charity organizations.

• 1952: The WA supreme court declared slot machines for non-profit organizations illegal.

• 1963: Voters rejected the bill to see the cities offer charity gaming

• The 1950s and 1960s: Largely, during the two decades, illegal gambling had become rampant in Seattle, King County.

• 1971: The state approved bingo and raffles. In the same year, 51 police officers and public officials were indicted by the King County grand jury for alleged claims of gambling payoffs.

• 1972: WA voters rejected greyhound racing.

• 1973 & 1974: The state established the Washington State Gambling Commission to oversee and regulate gambling activities, except lottery. Additionally, the legislature authorized social card games, bingo, raffles, card rooms, mahjongg, punchboards/pull tabs, and amusement games.

• 1976: The first casino opened under the Puyallup Tribe.

• 1977:  The state authorized Reno nights for fund-raising events.

• 1978: The joy of the first casino was short-lived after the federal government ordered its closure.

• 1980: Public officials (Speaker John Bagnariol, Sen. Gordon Walgren, and lobbyist Pat Gallagher) were indicted for claims of conspiring to take payoffs for promoting gambling legislation. The jury would later convict them, with Bagnariol and Walgren serving two years. The latter was intended to serve five years but was paroled. 

• 1982: WA legalized the state lottery.

• 1983: Several tribes launched bingo halls, with the Lummi Tribe offering blackjack.

• 1988: The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act was passed, allowing tribal casinos to operate in Washington.

• 1992: The Lummi and Tulalip Tribes opened the first tribal casinos in WA.

• 1993: The Nooksack Tribe followed suit by opening another tribal casino.

• 1996: WA voters rejected a bill by 19 tribes to see them host slot machines in their premises.

• 1997: WA legislators allowed non-tribal card rooms (house-banked).

• 1998: Slot machines allowed after Gov. Gary Locke signed a compact with 12 tribes.

• 2001: Statewide net revenue generated stood at $1 billion-plus, with $422 million coming from tribal casinos.

• 2002: Washington became one of the states besides nine others to join the Big Game (SB 6560), a multi-state lottery game.

• 2006: The WA legislature illegalized and prohibited internet gambling.

• 2008 – 2010: WA made several poker limits changes on the legalized card rooms.

• 2012: A voter demand led to the state increasing limits on Texas hold’em from $40 to $100.

• 2015-2016: Two bills calling for the legalization of online poker failed.

• 2017: Another casino opened near the Oregon border (Casino Ilani)

• 2020: Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill allowing retail sports betting in the state. The bill would require bettors to make in-person bets on the tribal casinos. The first tribes to get approval from the WA State Gambling Commission would be Suquamish, Lummi, Tulalip, Colville, Shoalwater Bay, Kalispel, Cowlitz, Squaxin Island, Jamestown S’Klallam, Muckleshoot, Stillaguamish, Spokane, Swinomish, and Snoqualmie.

• 2021: This year, a legislative session has seen a further attempt to legalize online poker in the state.

Is it Legal to Gamble Online in Washington?

Washington State defines gambling in three main elements: prize, chance, and consideration. To expand it further, gambling requires a stake that achieves the consideration aspect, a chance to determine the outcome of an event or game, and a prize awarded after a specific outcome. So can I gamble online in WA? The straightforward answer is no. The Evergreen State prohibits online gambling and classifies transmitting or receiving gambling information through the internet as a Class C felony.

Presently, Washington licenses few to no gambling forms online, making Wash one of the strictest states regarding online gambling. Even while several offshore sites offering casino, poker, sports, bingo, and sweepstakes games accept WA players, the main point to remember is that WA criminalizes any illegal online gambling activity.

Online Casino

Online casinos are illegal in the state. So, how does one gamble online in Washington with the Washington State Gambling Commission not licensing or regulating any online casino? The answer is that there is no way since the state restricts online gambling on many fronts. However, the Evergreen state is not the only state to make online casinos illegal in the US. But, it is among the few that don’t license social casinos or online sweepstakes that offer similar casino games such as slots and table games.

Offshore sites are also not considered legal in WA online gambling space. Despite them operating within the state, the law illegalizes any activity carried by them. Thus, players looking to enjoy slots, blackjack, roulette, craps, among other poker games, can only walk into the licensed tribal casinos to play for real money for now.

Online Poker

Online poker is not legal in WA. However, there has been a positive push to have online poker legalized in the state compared to online casinos, and while the efforts have not borne fruits yet, it looks promising. Among the bills to push for legalization include the HB 1114 bill introduced by Rep. Sherry Appleton between 2015 and 2018. Currently, players can only play poker on the live poker rooms hosted within the tribal casinos and other businesses.

Like the casinos, Washington prohibits online sweepstakes offering poker games and offshore poker sites. Thus, any player making a wager on the sites is guilty of a felony punishable by law.

Online Sports Betting

Online sportsbooks are not legal in Washington. Besides the US Supreme Court lifting the ban on PASPA in 2018, Washington is one of the few states that haven’t legalized online sports betting and are not on the verge of doing the same. The positive aspect is that Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill in 2020 that would legalize retail sports betting in the state. Under the law, players will walk into the licensed tribal casinos to make an in-person wager. The NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS, US Tour, among several college sports options, will be available for wagering.

Offshore sportsbooks that provide an avenue for real-money bets operate in WA, albeit illegally. Remember, the rule of thumb is to adhere to the WA gambling laws to avoid felony charges.

Online Lottery

Online lottery is not legal in Washington. However, the state’s lottery exists to play local games such as Daily Keno, Lotto, Match 4, and Hit 5 besides multi-state games such as Powerball and Mega Millions. This only means that players can only walk into the retailers across the state to purchase the tickets. Unfortunately, Wash players cannot check draw numbers, winning numbers, or purchase tickets through their mobile phones or desktops with no online platform.

Online Bingo

Online bingo is not legal in Washington. However, the state allows gambling on commercial and charitable bingo games on the different bingo halls within the borders. In addition, while the state criminalizes online gambling on the forms not approved in the state, several offshore bingo sites still offer services in the state. There hasn’t been any person charged for gambling online on offshore sites in Washington, but players from the Evergreen State shouldn’t risk.

Online Horse Race Betting

Online horse racing is not legal in Washington. This is surprising, considering most states legalize online horse race betting. In such states, players can create accounts and place bets, including live bets on the popular racetracks. The highlight is that online horse race betting provides tons of betting options besides the standard ones. for example, one can bet on exotics and enjoy features such as boosted odds and best odds guaranteed. 

However, Washington only offers off-track betting and betting on the offline land-based racetracks. Therefore, the only avenue for players wishing to bet on horses online would be to bet on offshore sites, albeit illegal in WA.

Online Sweepstakes

Online sweepstakes are not legal in Washington. According to the Washington State Gambling Commission, many third parties advertise sweepstakes as alternatives to raffles. The only legal, authorized activities involving numbered tickets in WA are promotional contests of chance and raffles. As it stands, sweepstakes are not part of the authorized activities. Therefore, they are not legal.

Daily Fantasy Sports

Daily fantasy sports (DFS) are not safe either. The prohibition of internet gambling cuts across them, making them not legal in the state. In the past years, numerous attempts have been there to legalize DFS to no avail. For example, between 2015 and 2016, legislators brought bills SB 5248, SB 6333, and HB 1301, among others, arguing that DFS contests were games of skill. Unfortunately, there was no fruition. 

Can You Play Slots Online in Washington?

No. There exist no online slots in WA since there are no Washington online casinos for real money. Most states with no legal online casinos for real money leave room for options such as social casinos and online sweepstakes that offer online slots, among other casino games. Unfortunately, WA doesn’t legalize social casinos and online sweepstakes, either.

The only avenue to play free slots and online slots for real money in Washington is the offshore sites. One should note that they also operate against the internet gambling laws set in the state. However, slot lovers can enjoy a pick of the best classic, video slots, jackpots, and megaways to enjoy. 

Some of the slot providers powering online casinos include:

• Scientific Games Software: The provider powers land-based and online casinos, with slots standing out among the products. Featuring several branded slots, SG also boasts of its good bet sizes and jam-packed features. The slots include Anchorman, Bruce Lee, Raging Rhino, and Zeus III.
• Relax Gaming: The provider entered the scene in 2010 with the focus of providing high-quality output that offers flexible accessibility (mobile and desktop). Slots range from penny slots to high-stake slots, accommodating all sets of slot lovers. Among the top Relax Gaming slots include Money Train, Magnetz, and Emerald’s Infinity Reels.
• Yggdrasil: The provider is reputable for its high-quality slots that boast a promotional tool to enhances gamification by making it possible for the casino to organize tournaments. Among the top Yggdrasil slots include Easter Island, Valley of the Gods, and Vikings Go Berzerk.

Gambling Age Law

Washington sets the legal gambling age at least 18 years on some gambling forms, including lottery and horse races. However, the legal gambling age at the casinos and poker rooms is at least 21 years. WA gambling laws are strict on underage gambling and stipulates a penalty that includes fines of up to $125, court fees/costs, up to four (4) hours of community service, and forfeiture of winnings accrued. The authorized facilities/venues also set different penalties, including arresting and ejection from the premises.

With online gambling legal in the state, there exist no Washington online gambling laws. But, one would expect the exact age requirements should the gambling forms be made legal online. This would mean that the legal gambling age for players at the online casinos should be 21+. However, the offshore sites operating illegally in the state allow bets from players aged 18+. Remember, underage gambling is an offense, and so is gambling online in WA.

Most Reputable 18+ Online Casinos for Washington Players

While we do not advocate breaking laws and underage gambling, we advise those wishing to play real money casino games to pick on the most reputable casinos. Generally, offshore sites are not the best in consumer protection matters, but those on our list satisfy several parameters, including security and legality.

Some of the most reputable online casino sites for WA players include:

Land-Based Casinos in Washington

Twenty-two (22) out of twenty-nine (29) tribes run the land-based casinos in WA to bring a traditional experience to players. Remember, all tribes have Class III gaming compact that includes slots, blackjack, red dog, roulette, craps, pai gow poker, baccarat, and sic-bo, among other games.

The majority of the casinos are open 24/7. Therefore, one can walk in at any time to make wagers. Additionally, the casinos offer other activities besides gaming. For example, one can get accommodation, dining services, meeting facilities, entertainment venues, among others. Unfortunately, Washington State has no non-tribal land-based casino at the moment.

Top land-based casinos in WA include:

One can find the complete list on the official Washington State Gambling Commission’s website.

Will Washington Regulate Online Gambling?

The future of WA online gambling doesn’t look promising as it stands. First, almost every popular online gambling form is not legal in Washington, including products such as lottery, sweepstakes, daily fantasy sports, and, surprisingly, horse race betting. The same stance has been on online casinos, poker, and sportsbooks. In the past, the only efforts applied by lawmakers in Washington have been leaning towards legalizing online poker, online sportsbooks, and daily fantasy sports. In contrast, talks of online casinos are currently non-existent.

Generally, Washington is a state with not much of a promise. The state is currently launching retail sportsbooks, which may trigger talk of online sportsbooks later on. It is impossible to speculate when WA legalizes casinos, poker, daily fantasy sports, and horse race betting. However, with many states moving towards legalizing certain gambling forms online, WA may in the future go easy on its strict online gambling laws.