Top Washington Betting Sites — No Legal Online Betting Options
Despite being the first state to legalize sports betting after the repeal of PASPA in 2018, there are no legal Washington sports betting online options. Players instead need to visit one of the state’s tribal casinos to make wagers in person. Even then, not all tribal casinos have launched sportsbooks yet.
Because we are unable to recommend the best betting sites in Washington, we have decided to focus this guide on the current legal situation, the future of mobile betting, and other legal gambling options. We only recommend licensed sites for each state, hence why you’ll find no links to offshore bookies here.
Legal Gambling Options for Washington Residents
Locals in Washington are able to enjoy Class III gaming, such as slot machines, poker, and table games, at the state’s tribal casinos. In addition to this, commercial card rooms can offer poker, and there are pari-mutuel wagering options and the state lottery. While Washington online sports betting is illegal, some tribal casinos have retail sportsbooks.
Daily Fantasy Sports in Washington
There are several states in the USA that have carved out daily fantasy sports (DFS) from gambling prohibition, citing that its element of skill differentiates it from gambling’s chance-based nature. Other states have chosen to tolerate the activities without any legislation. Unfortunately, Washington has taken neither step.
In Washington, daily fantasy sports are explicitly illegal and considered to be gambling games. This distinction was clarified in 2016, and all DFS operators were ordered to leave the state immediately. Players can be hit with severe penalties for signing up for a DFS Washington sports betting app.
If there comes a time when the likes of FanDuel and DraftKings are allowed to provide DFS in the Evergreen State, they might well operate some of the best betting sites Washington has to offer, too.
Offshore Betting Sites — Don’t Get Scammed!
We recommend that our readers never sign up to offshore bookies as they are unlicensed and untrustworthy. Many states tolerate these bookmakers as being neither legal nor illegal gambling enterprises and will not fine users for joining these sites. In Washington, all unapproved online gambling is considered a felony.
This means that not only is offshore betting an unsafe and untrustworthy option, but it could also get you into serious trouble with the law. Be sure to avoid sites such as Bovada and MyBookie no matter how legal they may appear, as there are no guarantees that you won’t be scammed or fined.
Land-Based Casinos
There are 29 tribes in Washington State, all of which have Class III gaming compacts. This means that most casinos are free to offer table games, slot machines, and sports betting facilities. The casinos are regulated by the National Indian Gaming Commission, n body established under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
With more than 3,000 slot and video poker machines, the largest non-smoker poker room, and more than 70 table games, the Muckleshoot Casino Resort is the largest casino in the state. This is also one of several establishments that offers a sportsbook from Caesars, where bettors can wager on college and major league games.
Racetrack Betting
Washington is home to two horse race tracks, the Emerald Downs in Auburn and the Sun Downs in Kennewick. While these facilities offer some casino gaming and simulcast wagering, you can also enjoy off-track betting at a dozen different tribal casino locations across the state.
Horse race betting is perhaps the best Washington sportsbook alternative for those who do not have easy access to sports betting facilities. You can wager on both local and national races. As has been mentioned, no online gambling is allowed, so you can not use betting apps such as TVG.
Poker and Card Rooms
Washington is one of few states that allow commercial cardrooms to operate outside of the tribal gaming system. Many of these were established before the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act though have stricter limits on betting sizes. There are $200 wagering limits on house-banked games and $100 limits on Texas Hold’em.
In many tribal gaming venues, you can enjoy single-cash games and tournaments of Texas Hold’em and Omaha Stud. Many poker rooms will enforce maximum single bets of $40 with a limit of three raises up to a total pot of $500. So while high rollers will not be satisfied by the options, low-limit players sure will be.
Neighboring States with Legal Sports Betting
If you are unable to get to a tribal casino or live near the border of Idaho or Oregon, you are in good luck. It is not illegal to travel to gamble from Washington, and these two border states offer comprehensive online betting options. Once you’ve crossed the border, you can create an account and place your bets.
However, once you cross back, you will not be able to access the apps to enjoy Washington online sports betting. These apps will be blocked once you return, and any attempt to access them and place wagers are considered to be a felony in Washington. Below is a list of the closest states with legal online sports betting:
Best Betting Sites in Washington — The Situation Might Change
It is unclear whether Washington would ever launch legal online sports betting, but if it does happen, it won’t be for a while. The state is one of few that has taken a hard stance against online gambling of all forms. However, in the event that Washington betting sites are approved, we can theorize what they may look like.
The industry would likely be regulated by the Washington State Gambling Commission in conjunction with the tribes. It is likely that the tribes would be the only remote license holders, as they hold a monopoly on sports betting for the time being. In the case of online gambling, player safety measures such as fair payouts and age verification would be enforced.
Players could wager on collegiate division games excluding those that feature Washington university teams as the current law dictates. The NFL’s Seattle Seahawks and the MLB’s Seattle Mariners could also be bet on, whether as singles, multis, or live bets. Operators such as Caesars and BetMGM would likely offer the best betting sites in Washington.
Washington Gambling Laws
There are several laws that dictate gambling in Washington. The first of these is the state criminal code, which defines gambling as “staking something of value on consideration on the outcome of a contest of chance” in the pursuit to win something of value. Unless authorized, gambling is illegal.
Washington prohibits any unauthorized gambling and online gambling and considers breaking this law to be a class C felony. Class C felonies are punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000, making illegal gambling a serious offense. This is just one of many reasons to avoid offshore betting sites.
In an effort to clarify the state’s position on Washington betting sites, the state took a major step by specifically outlining online gambling as illegal in the Gambling Act. The state was even a major player in shutting down offshore poker sites during the 2011 Black Friday operations.
| Betting Type | Law |
|---|---|
| Sports Betting | Legal |
| Online Sports Betting | Not Legal |
| Land-based Casino | Legal |
| Online Casino | Not Legal |
| Poker | Legal |
| Racetrack Betting | Legal |
| Washington Gambling Age | 18+ for All Activities |
While WA has taken a hard stance against commercial operations, it is one of the most respectful of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. All of the state’s tribes have Class III gaming licenses, with 16 able to apply for sports betting licenses. There is little intervention in tribal gaming matters.
Another surprising fact is that there is a blanket minimum age of 18 years old for all gambling activities, including the lottery, online casinos, poker card rooms, horse race betting, and sports betting. This is out of step with most other US states, which have 21-year minimums on sports and casino betting.
If you’d like to know more about online betting in the US, check out our more detailed guide.
History of Gambling in the State
For most of Washington’s history, the state has adopted an anti-gambling stance. In 1889, the state constitution prohibited all forms of gambling. This has hardly been changed to allow for gambling expansion since then. Conversely, more prohibitions have generally been added, such as the ban on online gambling.
In 1933, horse race betting was legalized. The Washington Horse Racing Commission was established to oversee the industry and is in charge of licensing, regulating, and supervising all races held in Washington. The racing commission is still in operation today, with 5% of betting revenues taxed.
In 1971, the state legislature authorized bingo and raffles. However, this was deemed unconstitutional as voters would need to approve of the measure. This was done so in 1972, and the Gambling Commission was created. Card rooms were approved as a part of this process in 1974.
The state lottery was established in 1982 to raise funds for the state. After tribal casinos were authorized in 1988, the Tulalip Tribe was granted a gaming compact in 1992. In 2020, Governor Jay Inslee approved sports betting at tribal casinos. While this would usually require a referendum, a COVID-related emergency provision bypassed this.
The Future of Online Sports Betting in Washington
There is little progress when it comes to creating an online sports betting market in Washington, so gambling websites in Washington may be a while away. For this to happen, the state would need to decide who could operate the sites. While many tribes want exclusive rights, the state’s cardroom owners are against this.
However, a recent study estimated that current annual betting revenues would more than triple in size to generate more than $322 million if approved. This may be a major motivator to speed up the process. For the time being, only players from legal online sports betting states will be able to place sports bets at betting sites.
Keep an eye here, because we will bring you all the information on the best betting sites in Washington as and when they arrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you still have any more queries about the online sports betting situation in Washington and other related matters, keep reading. Below, we have answered some commonly asked answers about the sports betting industry in Washington as well as topics such as the minimum gambling age and offshore betting.
⚖️ Are online gambling and sports betting legal in Washington?
There are no legal online gambling options in Washington. Instead, you will need to visit a land-based casino or horse racing track to wager. Washington is very specific about the illegality of online gambling, and breaking these laws could result in harsh penalties including prison and fines.
🛡️ What is the legal gambling age in Washington?
Unlike many other states, the state gambling laws mandate that players must be over 18 years old to gamble legally. This includes the lottery, casinos, sports betting, and horse race betting. If you travel to a nearby legal online gambling state, you will need to be 21 years old to create a sports betting account.
🚨 Are offshore betting sites legal in Washington?
No, offshore betting sites are certainly not legal in Washington and therefore are not safe. These sites have not been given any government approval in the US, meaning that there is no way to ensure that you will receive owed winnings or that the odds are fair.
🔎 Can I play at another state’s legal online sportsbook if I am based in Washington?
No, you cannot play at the sportsbooks of nearby legal states while you are in Washington. You will need to travel to states such as Idaho and Oregon to play on the state’s mobile betting platforms. Once you return to Washington, the apps will be blocked with geofencing technology.