Washington Indian Gaming Association celebrates the state's first year of legal sports betting activity

Sports betting in Washington state is celebrating its first year in activity. The Washington Indian Gaming Association (WIGA) used this milestone to highlight "the smooth integration of safe and resonsible sports wagering into the offerings of tribal casinos across the state. "

The Snoqualmie Casino opened its sportsbook on September 9, 2021, which was the first day of the NFL season last year. Since then, nine other tribal casinos have commenced sports betting operations, while a total of 20 tribes have renegotiated their tribal gaming compacts with the state to include sports betting (19 of those compacts have been approved, and one is pending).

"Each of those sports betting compacts were negotiated between sovereign tribes and the State of Washington, and more tribal sportsbooks are expected to open soon," said the association.

Rebecca George, Executive Director of WIGA, issued a statement addressing the state's first anniversary: "The advent of sports betting on the brick-and-mortar premises of tribal casinos was an important step forward in the ongoing efforts of tribes in Washington to re-establish and strengthen their self-reliance. It's been a successful first year."

Snoqualmie Casino

"The casinos where sportsbooks have opened are reporting that casino visitors are really enjoying having this additional gaming opportunity available to them. The success of tribal sports betting over the last year demonstrates that the bipartisan supermajority of the state legislature that voted in 2020 to approve sports betting, but limited to the premises of tribal casinos, made the correct decision," George wrote. 

"Tribes are justifiably proud of the three-decade track record we have compiled of successfully offering safe, regulated and responsible gaming, and tribes were able to build on that experience as they have introduced sports betting at their casinos," she further noted.

As tribal gaming is subject to extensive regulation, "all of the participating tribes moved carefully and deliberately to ensure their sports betting operations were a success," WIGA's executive director pointed out. "It's been great to see sports betting introduced so smoothly and responsibly at tribal casinos across the state."

She went on by saying that the state's tribal gaming system "has been proven to be safe, responsible and beneficial" for communities across the state. "Washington State's tribes look forward to continuing to work in partnership with the State of Washington and the federal government to offer safe, responsible, and fun gaming and entertainment options to the general public at our tribal casinos," George concluded.

Washington state’s sports betting market is exclusively operated by tribal casinos. While 12 casinos currently offer retail sports betting, thus far only the Snoqualmies are offering onsite mobile betting. To date, efforts to implement statewide mobile sports betting in Washington have made little progress.