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Washington gambling regulations are known for being rather unique. According to Section 9 of Washington statutes, players who knowingly transmit or receive gambling information using the internet are committing a felony. Most experts agree that this law extends to online gambling, which means that playing on offshore sites and getting caught is pretty much guaranteed to land you in jail. Consequently, we don’t recommend Washington-based players to engage in real money gambling over the internet at all.
Montana is the only state that currently prohibits Internet fantasy gaming in statute. Fantasy sports are exempted from the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. Massachusetts introduced legislation in 2015 to allow the state’s lottery to offer online daily fantasy games. Fantasy sports is a.
Washington Casinos
Washington tribes operate 27 casinos that offer lottery terminals, table games, poker, and – in some cases – off-track betting. These casinos are spread throughout the state, so local gambling enthusiasts don’t need to drive to the other side of the state to experience some Vegas-style action. The largest casinos are located in Auburn (Muckleshoot Casino), Tulalip (Tulalip Resort Casino), Snoqualmie (Snoqualmie Casino), Airway Heights (Northern Quest Casino), and Tacoma (Emerald Queen Casino). Gamblers can also play house-banked card games in non-tribal cardrooms in counties that haven’t banned this form of gambling.
Washington doesn’t house any state-sanctioned casino sites, and playing on offshore platforms is considered a felony. According to local regulations, even play-money chips meet the definition of a “thing of value” if they can be purchased for real money. Thus, playing on social sites that include a real-world component, such as MyVegas or Big Fish Casino, is ill-advised.
Washington Poker
Washington is packed with small- and medium-sized poker rooms operated by tribal casinos and non-tribal businesses. In total, the local scene has access to 280+ tables spread across 50+ venues. Aside from cash games, players can participate in affordable, $10-$50 buy-in tournaments, which are hosted almost daily by venues like the Joker’s Casino or Caribbean Yakima.
Unfortunately, playing over the internet is still considered a felony, despite the valiant efforts of Rep. Sherry Appleton (D), who repeatedly reintroduced his online poker bill, HB 1114, between 2015 and 2018. According to Curtis Woodard, an internet poker activist who helped Appleton prepare the first draft, HB 1114 will not make another appearance during the 2019 legislative session as it didn’t receive the support that its proponents had originally hoped for.
Washington Sports Betting
Sports betting is illegal in Washington, although the regulations include an exception for hopelessly outdated 100-square workplace sports pools. These sports pools must follow very specific rules: the organizer needs to prepare a board in advance of the event, which has to be divided into 100 squares. These squares can then be purchased by the participants. The maximum price of a square is $1. Each square is assigned a prospective score by drawing, and the pool is later divided between all players who get the squares that match the game’s outcome.
Pari-mutuel horse race betting follows different laws and is allowed both on-site and at satellite facilities, which must be approved by the Washington Horse Racing Commission. Engaging in internet betting constitutes a felony.
Washington legislators aren’t working on any sports betting bills at the moment, and there’s no indication that they’re planning to introduce such a bill in the future. The silence surrounding this issue following the repeal of the federal Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act demonstrates that local politicians are still fully committed to protecting the local card rooms and tribal casino industry.
Washington Daily Fantasy Sports
The Washington prohibition on internet gambling extends to DFS contests, and violating it remains a felony. Consequently, all high-profile DFS operators, including FanDuel, DraftKings, and Yahoo DFS, have opted to stay out of the Evergreen State. Between 2015 and 2016, local lawmakers introduced as many as four different DFS bills designed to alter the status quo. Bills SB 5284, SB 6333, and HB 1301 were meant to legalize DFS sites by classifying fantasy sports contests as games of skill, while HB 2370 was supposed to strengthen the prohibition by amending RCW 9.94A.515, adding new sections to chapter 9.46 RCW, and prescribing new penalties. Despite being reintroduced numerous times, none of these bills made it to the governor’s desk, which means that the current regulations are likely to remain unchanged for the foreseeable future.
Washington Lotteries
Washington’s Lottery was founded in 1972, but it never joined the Multi-State Lottery Association. Fortunately, Washington residents can still purchase Mega Millions and Powerball tickets due to separate arrangements. On the local level, the available games include Lotto, Hit 5, Match 4, Daily Keno, Daily Game, and several types of scratchers. Washington regulations prohibit the Lottery from holding multiple drawings per day for any of its products, which is why the local version of Keno doesn’t run on a frantic schedule that’s typically associated with this game. All tickets must be purchased from land-based retail shops – there’s no option to acquire them via the lottery website.
Washington Bingo
Washington allows both commercial and charitable bingo games, but playing over the internet is just as illegal as engaging in any other form of online gambling.
Washington Online Gambling FAQ
What types of gambling are available in WA?
Washington isn’t a restrictive state when it comes to land-based gambling, but the local online gambling regulations can be a headache for die-hard iGaming enthusiasts. The state has several Indian casinos, commercial casinos, card rooms, and race tracks. Like virtually every other gambling-friendly state, Washington operates its own lottery and allows multiple forms of charitable gambling. The only thing missing from this menu are state-licensed iGaming services.
What laws cover online gambling in Washington?
Online gambling is covered by Section 9 of Washington statutes. As mentioned above, playing on offshore sites could be considered a felony, which means that online gamblers based in Washington that a disproportionately huge risk just by trying to enjoy their favorite pastime. Playing for play money rather than cash is the only way to avoid this punishment.
Is real money online gambling legal in Washington?
No. Real money internet gambling is definitely illegal in Washington and is likely to result in severe legal consequences.
Sports Gambling News
Which offshore gambling sites accept Washington residents?
Most offshore sites refuse to accept new customers from Washington, but if you already have an account there’s nothing to stop you from enjoying play money games.
Fantasy Sports Gambling Articles
What are the most popular banking options supported by Washington-facing sites?
Most offshore sites support credit card payments and offer bank wire transfer withdrawals, but in our opinion Washington residents shouldn’t risk playing for real money while remaining within the borders of the state, as using the internet to play for real money is considered a felony.
Does Washington offer any intrastate online gambling?
No. Washington doesn’t have a regulated intrastate iGaming market.
Are Daily Fantasy Sports Gambling
Is it likely for Washington to regulate online gambling?
Fantasy Sports Gambling Washington State University
Washington politicians most likely haven’t decided how to tackle this issue yet, which means that the fate of any future Washington iGaming bill would probably be hugely dependent on the number of states that opt to follow in Nevada’s footsteps.