- Online Sports Gambling Washington State University
- Gambling In Washington State
- Sports Gambling Legal States
- Online Betting Sites
- Sports Betting In Washington State
Online sports betting would also be legalized at the same locations If passed into law, the change would be significant because Washington is the only state where online gambling is a Class C felony Hearings will be held in Washington State on House Bill 1975, which calls for the legalization of college and professional sports wagering.
Last Updated January 2, 2020
Washington State is something of a special case when it comes to online poker in the United States. Poker players in Washington have to contend with a legal state of affairs that is both quite restrictive and completely unique.
We’ll discuss that state of affairs, along with the likely future of online poker in Washington, in this Guide to Online Poker in Washington State.
Latest Washington Online Poker Updates
Washington is one of the few states in America that specifically calls out online poker as a crime. Worse, it designates the activity as a felony.
In 2006, then-State Senator Margarita Prentice sponsored a bill to make online poker a felony with a $10K fine or five-year prison sentence as the penalty. While most states threatened to penalize online gambling operators, Prentice wanted Washington to punish players. She got her wish that June when then-Governor Christine Gregoire signed the bill into law. Online poker became a Class C felony.
A Seattle attorney named Lee Rousso sued the state in 2008 over the right to play poker online. Despite numerous appeals and support from the then-influential Poker Players Alliance, the case was eventually rejected by the Washington State Supreme Court in 2010.
In the years that followed, there was talk of new bills to overturn the online poker law, but they never progressed through the legislature. There was little support to address the issue, especially after the State Supreme Court ruling.
Showing the propensity of Washington for overreacting to online gambling, other court cases have put free-play online gaming in the spotlight. Big Fish, an online casino game developer based in Seattle and operating since 2002, is fighting players in court who declare that the option to buy play-money chips in Big Fish’s online games violate the state laws.
Big Fish lost one of the cases in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in 2016, essentially ruling that even free-play online games were illegal for players in that state. That decision even prompted PokerStars to withdraw its free online poker website from Washington players.
Lawmakers made an attempt in 2019 to address sports betting, but the tribal entities that operate the state’s casinos and pushed for the anti-online poker law also expressed opposition to sports betting. So far, there has been no progress beyond discussions and the occasional hearing.
Is Online Poker Legal in Washington?
While all online poker players should be familiar with their state laws with regards to gambling, Washington State online poker players have a special motivation for learning more about the law as Washington is one of the few states that specifically singles out online gambling.
Let’s talk more about that aspect of, and a handful of other important points from, Washington State gambling law:
| Type/Code | Summary |
|---|---|
| State Code Section(s) | 9.46-47; 67.16-17; 67.70 |
| Definition of Gambling | Staking or risking something of value upon the outcome of a contest of chance or a future contingent event not under the person’s control or influence, upon an agreement or understanding that the person or someone else will receive something of value in the event of a certain outcome. |
| Definition of Contest of Chance | Any contest, game, gaming scheme, or gaming device in which the outcome depends in a material degree upon an element of chance, notwithstanding that skill of the contestants may also be a factor. |
| Definition of Player | A natural person who engages, on equal terms with the other participants, and solely as a contestant or bettor, in any form of gambling in which no person may receive or become entitled to receive any profit therefrom other than personal gambling winnings, and without otherwise rendering any material assistance to the establishment, conduct or operation of a particular gambling activity. A natural person who gambles at a social game of chance on equal terms with the other participants shall not be considered as rendering material assistance to the establishment, conduct or operation of the social game merely by performing, without fee or remuneration, acts directed toward the arrangement or facilitation of the game, such as inviting persons to play, permitting the use of premises for the game, or supplying cards or other equipment to be used in the games. |
| Definition of Legal Social Card Game | A card game that constitutes gambling and is authorized by the commission under RCW 9.46.070. Authorized card games may include a house-banked or a player-funded banked card game. No one may participate in the card game or have an interest in the proceeds of the card game who is not a player or a person licensed by the commission to participate in social card games. |
| Online Poker/Gambling | Online poker is specifically prohibited by Washington state law and considered a felony. The Poker Players Alliance sued the state in the late 2000s alleging the law was unconstitutional, but the PPA lost. Lawmakers continue to push for legalized online poker nearly every year, but there is never sufficient support to pass the bills. |
| Live Poker | Cardrooms have been legal in Washington for several decades, where poker is prevalent. There is also cash game and tournament poker offered in some of the Native American casinos like Tulalip Resort Casino. |
| Casinos | All of Washington’s 29 tribes have gaming compacts with the state to offer casinos on their respective lands. The casinos offer slot machines and video gaming machines but only a few offer table games like poker. |
| Sports Betting | Washington lawmakers have not considered any bills to legalize sports betting. |
| DFS | A Senate bill was introduced in 2018 to legalize paid-entry fantasy sports, but it did not pass. |
| Other Forms of Gambling | Lottery, bingo and charitable gambling, horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering, pull-tab games and punchboards. |
Let’s start off by exploring how Washington State defines the act of gambling. There are a few components to the definition, the first of which is found in Section 9.46.0237:
“”Gambling,” as used in this chapter, means staking or risking something of value upon the outcome of a contest of chance or a future contingent event not under the person’s control or influence, upon an agreement or understanding that the person or someone else will receive something of value in the event of a certain outcome.”
That’s basically a boilerplate definition of gambling, and it’s extended by Washington’s definition of “contest of chance” found in Section 9.46.0237. Basically, if chance plays a “material” role in the outcome of an event, then that event is a contest of chance regardless of whether or not there is also a skill component.
A number of activities are given a pass from Washington State gambling laws. Regulated forms of gambling are exempt, as are various forms of charitable gambling.
Social gambling is legal in the state of Washington (Section 9.46.0265).
You’ll see repeated references to “professional gambling” in Washington State law. Despite what the term might suggest to you, under Washington law it refers to involvement in the business or operational side of illegal gambling – not gambling professionally.
You’ve probably heard a good deal about Washington State having a law that makes playing online poker illegal. When people reference that, they’re generally talking about Section 9.46.240, which makes it a felony for anyone who
“knowingly transmits or receives gambling information by telephone, telegraph, radio, semaphore, the Internet, a telecommunications transmission system, or similar means.”
Will Washington Regulate Online Poker?
This remains a very complicated question that is largely dependent on how regulated online gambling rolls out in the rest of the United States. Specifically, a scenario that gives tribal interests sufficient motivation to embrace online poker and online gambling is the most positive one for those who want to see such games regulated in Washington.
Until some of the major stakeholders in Washington’s gaming industry develop a greater interested in regulated online poker, it seems as if the state will continue to hold its title as one of the least hospitable places for online poker players.
How Can I Play Online Poker From Washington State?
As previously mentioned, playing online poker in Washington can be potentially problematic for WA poker players. For one thing, very few sites accept players from Washington State . For another, players could be risking criminal action by participating in some forms of online poker.
The solution is either to play poker for play chips only, or to try one of the WA online poker sites that offer a unique format – such as subscription poker – that allow them to conduct business in compliance with the law of Washington State.
Top Online Poker Sites for Washington
Because of the legal situation in Washington State, residents must be very selective about the online poker sites that they use. It’s perfectly legal to access sites for play-money play, or to patronize sites that are structured in a way that comports with Washington law. If that’s the sort of WA online poker room you’re looking for, here are our picks for the top poker sites .
All Poker and Gambling Laws by State
The state of Washington has not exactly minced words with regard to internet gambling. It is one of few states that explicitly forbids online poker and casino games, but it goes even further to deem offering or playing games online a criminal offense. The state code and Washington State Gambling
Read FullWashington’s gambling stance is complicated. There is a state lottery and legal charitable gaming activities like bingo, and there are Native American gaming facilities on tribal lands, but other forms of gambling are not only discouraged, they are criminalized. Real-money online poker and other internet games, for example, are specifically
Read FullNevada Governor Brian Sandoval recently signed an electronic sports bill that legalizes eSports betting events in the state. The bill extends the current Nevada sports wagering laws to include eSports betting events. The new law takes effect on July 1. Senate Bill 240 passed in the Nevada legislature by wide
Read FullChris Cornell, the lead singer for Soundgarden and Audioslave, died of an apparent suicide at the MGM Grand Detroit. The 52-year old icon of the grunge rock era was found dead overnight in his room at the casino-hotel. The Wayne County Medical Examiner determined Cornell’s death to be suicide by
Read Full
Washington Gambling Facts
Washington State has one of the most varied and complex regulated gambling menus of any state in America. It starts with the state-backed lottery and extends into tribal casinos. Those options share the space with Washington’s commercial casinos, card rooms and race tracks.
Things get more confusing when you start looking into charitable gambling in Washington State. Multiple forms are permitted, some of which require a license and some of which do not. Depending on your ability to obtain a license, your organization could offer games ranging from bingo to poker to full-blown casino nights.
Things are quite a bit simpler for WA online poker. Washington State does not directly regulate online gambling. No online poker, no online casino – no matter how hard you look, you won’t find an online gambling site that holds a license issued by Washington State.
Some were surprised that the Tennessee legislature approved mobile sports betting in 2019, but it came with a threat from the governor to veto any other attempts to expand gambling in the state. This will likely be the last we hear from Tennessee in a while.
Famous Washington State Poker Players
Many poker players hail from Washington, as they have been able to learn the game and hone their skills at live card rooms around the state. And prior to 2006, thousands of them also played online poker.
Scott Clements was one of the players who started online and built his bankroll on poker sites. He is now the all-time money winner in live tournaments, having to abandon his online poker activities long ago to continue residing in Washington. With a record dating back to 2005 and including several WSOP and WPT titles, Clements continues to accumulate winnings.
Longtime Washington-born poker players also hold solid places on the all-time money list, like Lee Watkinson, Lee Markholt, and Ralph Porter.
As of 2020, these were the top players in that category for live tournament earnings:
1. Scott Clements ($8.2 million)
2. Brandon Cantu ($4.4 million)
3. Lee Watkinson ($4.3 million)
4. Lee Markholt ($4.2 million)
5. Ralph Porter ($4 million)
6. Dylan Wilkerson ($3.3 million)
7. Matt Affleck ($3 million)
8. Tyler Patterson ($2.5 million)
9. Quinn Do ($2.5 million)
10. Darren Rabinowitz ($2.2 million)
Sources & Citations For This Article on Washington Online Poker
Last Updated: January 2, 2020
Washington residents can play online casino games legally and safely for real money. Residents have no fear of fines or prosecution, though they must find trustworthy gaming sites. Washington lawmakers haven’t regulated online gambling yet — and probably won’t for years to come. Washington online gambling laws don’t call for punishment of individual players, so read our honest reviews of online casinos to play for real money with confidence.
Washington state has a lot of regulated land-based casinos, which we discuss in this article. This guide to WA online gambling discusses online casino sites, sportsbooks, and cardrooms. We provide the key laws the Washington State Gaming Commission efforces. Keep reading and you’ll see a Washington online gambling FAQ and a history of gaming laws in the state. Most importantly, we provide reviews of the best online casinos for Washington residents.
Best Washington State Online Casinos, Sportsbooks & Poker Sites 2020
Quick Menu
WA State Gambling Laws
Washington State Gambling Commission
Washington Online Casinos
WA Sports Betting
Washington Online Poker Sites
Online Bingo Halls
Washington State Lottery
Washington Charitable Gambling
Washington Online Gambling FAQ
Timeline of WA Online Gambling Laws
Latest News
Sources
Washington State Gaming Laws
It’s often said that unregulated gambling sectors exist in a legal gray area, but that’s not the case in Washington. Most other states do not refer to online gambling in their laws, but Washington does. In the Washington gambling laws the state prevents all unregulated gambling activities, which also means online gambling.
In 2006, the state of Washington created a law that criminalized online gambling. A 2011 legal challenge to that law saw the law upheld. The consequences of these actions are that Washington state residents can gamble online at any gambling website that is not based in the state, but conforms to the states gambling laws and it is legal.
Betting Online in Washington
Residents of the state of Washington have the ability to sign up and bet for real money at offshore online gaming sites. On this site, we review a list of online casinos, sportsbooks, and poker rooms that accept Washington residents.
Online Sports Gambling Washington State University
These offshore gambling sites are licensed and regulated in foreign countries, but follow the quirky laws of Washington state. Some may not allow players until they are 21, though the legal gambling age of 18 in Washington.
Washington State Gambling Commission
The Washington State Gambling Commission licenses and regulates all forms of gambling in the state, except lottery betting. The Gambling Commission has authority to set the rules and policies of gaming, such as the Esports industry. Online gambling fits under the same guidelines. The Washington State Gambling Commission works with 35 tribal casinos throughout the state, while many casino cruise ships are based in Washington ports. The Ilani Casino Resort, located only 25 miles from Portland, Oregon, is the latest Native American casino to open in Washington state.
The Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut signed a deal in 2015 to manage the Ilani Casino Resort.
Washington Online Casinos
The online casinos we bring to Washington residents are friendly to Washington gamblers and accept them at their sites. No resident of Washington State needs to worry that they are breaking the law when they join these sites because they are located offshore out of U.S. jurisdiction. No US individual player has been prosecuted for gaming online, even in regions where it is illegal.
The online casino we review have multiple slots, blackjack, baccarat, video poker, roulette, and many other table games. Each has bonuses and promotions these sites supply you with.
Washington Sports Betting
Most forms of sports betting are illegal in Washington state, despite a May 2018 US Supreme Court decision stating that individual states can set their own sportsbook laws. The only form of sports betting that is legal in Washington state “sports pools” and that is only in land-based establishments not online.
The 1961 Federal Wire Act makes it illegal to transmit sports bets across state lines. Washington could legalize single-state sports bets, but has not chosen to do so. Despite the laws, many residents of Washington play on offshore online sportsbooks. The online sportsbooks offer Washington residents live in-play betting, sports scores and schedules, mobile apps, and much more.
Washington Online Poker Sites
Because Washington is so unfriendly to online gambling, poker especially, there are not many poker websites willing to accept Washington residents. However, many unregulated online card rooms accept Washington residents and let them play for real money. These exist as offshore gaming sites, so be careful when signing up at a poker room.
If you’re willing to take the risk, Washingtonians can play at a variety of poker games, poker tournaments, and high stakes cash games. Click the links for these sites to read the review.
Online Bingo Halls
We provide Washington residents with online bingo sites that are as safe as the other gambling websites we bring to this page. Washington residents will enjoy the bingo tournaments and big jackpot payouts to winners. Our bingo sites offer a ton of different bingo cards, playing styles, and tantalizing bonuses for Washington residents who are always accepted at these sites. Choose a site and start collecting jackpots.
Washington State Lottery
The Washington Lottery Commission oversees the state lottery, along with the multi-state lottery associations, in the state. Washington joined the Mega Millions multi-state lottery in 2002 and the Powerball association in 2010. Since then, Washington’s lottery had multiple drawings a week in the hundreds of thousands, millions, and tens of millions of dollars.
It is legal to buy lottery tickets and scratch offs in Washington. Thousands of vendors dot the state in convenience store, gas stations, and other lotto vendor areas.
Washington Charitable Gambling
Washington allows charitable gambling organizations to hold raffles for fundraising purposes. The list of charitable organizations include athletic, civic, educational, agricultural, fraternal, patriotic, political, and social organizations. Also, agricultural fairs, religious societies, churches, and grange organizations also can host raffles for fundraising.
To do so, the organization must receive a license from the state. PTA and ASB organizations usually qualify. Lobby groups, including those with a 501c rating from the IRS, do not qualify. The maximum price per ticket is $100, while no free tickets can be printed. Raffle tickets must be sold by the organization’s members. Those members can’t be paid to sell tickets, unless they are an employee.
Tickets can’t be mailed. They can’t be sold over the phone or Internet. They must be paid in full using cash, check, or credit card. IOUs don’t qualify. A person must be 18 years or older to play in a charity raffle. The minimum age to oversee such a raffle also is 18.
The Washington State Gambling Commission has taken the lead on the US loot box issue — and in 2016 forced Valve to police third-party skin-gambling sites.
Washington State Online Gambling FAQ
Is online gambling legal in Washington?
Betting online is not prosecuted by Washington state prosecutors or law enforcement officials. The Washington State Gambling Commission (WSGC) states on its website that all online gambling is illegal, especially online sports betting. What the WSGC doesn’t note is that no Washington resident has ever been fined or prosecuted for online gambling.
The site also notes that online gambling is risky, because players use offshore online casino sites, sportsbooks, and poker rooms. What the WSGC doesn’t mention is those sites are regulated by international gaming agencies, so they are not strictly unregulated. Americans don’t get consumer protections, so WA online bettors must find offshore online gambling sites which are safe, trustworthy, and reliable. Read our reviews to find such sites.
Are online gambling sites illegal in Washington?
As hard as they tried, Washington lawmakers were unable to outlaw online gambling completely. Washington’s laws are more concentrated toward operators of illegal online gambling websites than users. It is a Class C felony to operate an illegal gambling site in the state of Washington. Don’t do it.
Technically, it is illegal to sign up at offshore online casinos, poker sites, and sportsbooks. Many Washington residents do it and none have been prosecuted for playing for real money online. That doesn’t mean it won’t happen in the future, but you’re safe playing online for now.
What is the legal gambling age in Washington?
Gambling In Washington State
The state of Washington has one gambling age for every type of gambling in the state and that is 18. For land-based gambling, players can wager in casinos, poker rooms, and bingo, lottery venues, and horse and dog racetracks while 18 or older. The same might not apply in the online gaming industry.
For online gambling ,the gambling age includes online casinos, sportsbooks, poker, and bingo. Some gambling websites will not accept players unless they are 21 or older. These sites use age verification software to assure compliance.
Are online casinos legal in Washington?
Offshore casinos operate in Washington for those who play at these sites, but a 2006 Washington law bans online gambling. The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) sued Washington to strike down this law in 2011, but the lawsuit was struck down in 2011.
Every other years or so, Washington lawmakers introduce new bills to legalize online gambling. None of those bills gained traction, so it appears online gambling will be technically legal in the near future. That being said, Washington officials do not prosecute residents for gambling online at offshore gaming sites.
Are online sportsbooks legal in Washington?
No. There are no legalized online sportsbooks in Washington, but authorities do not block bettors from joining an offshore online sportsbook. A number of European countries have started blocking domains of illegal offshore operators, but Washington has taken no such steps. Therefore, there are no laws in Washington that prevent residents from joining these sites so you will not face legal consequences.
Are online poker rooms legal in Washington?
Washington unfriendly to online poker players, making it difficult for residents to find a decent online poker website. Sites like Bovada Poker and Ignition Poker accept American players. These offshore card sites are famous and quite active. We give full reviews of Bovada and Ignition above.
Though the law bans online poker, Washington residents who play online poker at our offshore poker sites are not at risk of prosecution. There are no federal or state laws that ban Washington residents from playing online poker, so you do not have to worry these offshore poker websites are legal. Keep track of the lawsuits filed by New Jersey and New Hampshire against a US DOJ opinion that banned interstate online poker. Those cases could decide Washington online poker laws for years to come.
Will I go to jail for gambling online in Washington?
No, recent history shows no sign that will happen. We do not know of any individual online gambling site player going to jail in the state of Washington. State officials might prosecute illegal online gambling operators for Class C felonies if they sign up players in the state, but they won’t go after players.
Keep checking back for more updates. While Washington has never prosecuted online gamblers, that doesn’t mean it might not in the future.
Timeline of Washington Online Gambling Laws
October 5, 2016 | WSGC Orders Valve to Stop Skin-Gambling
The Washington State Gambling Commission ordered Valve, the software design company that owns the Steam gaming website, to stop skin betting on Steam games. Valve sent cease-and-desist letters to 22 third-party skin-gambling sites to comply with WA gaming law. Two weeks later, Valve complained that the WSGC forced it to handle the regulators’ job of policing such activity.
Sports Gambling Legal States
July 23, 2018 | Muckleshoot Casino Launches Online Gambling App
Muckleshoot Casino, a land-based gaming venues in Auburn, Washington, launched a mobile gaming app for smartphones with a workaround to WA gaming laws. The app allows players to purchase games, then redeem winnings at Muckleshoot Casino. Playport Gaming Systems desgined the app, which supports Class II games of chance like Bingo.
Latest News
The state of Washington has draconian online gambling laws, but regulators’ attempts to squelch online casinos have failed. Muckleshoot Casino’s mobile bingo app remains unchallenged in 2019, which could open the door for more Android and iOS gaming apps. Online social gaming sites like Big Fish Games are under siege in Washington’s court system, as several lawsuits have been filed. Free-to-play gaming sites like Huuuge Games, Doubledown Interactive, and Playtika also have been targeted by lawsuits.
Meanwhile, the MSGC focuses mainly on video game loot boxes used by Steam owner, Valve. Games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CSGO) and Star Wars: Battlefront are controversial and Washington regulators take the lead nationally on the issue. The Quinault Nation, a Native American tribe that operates Quinault Beach Resort & Casino in Ocean Shores, sued Valve over the betting that takes place on third-party skin-gambling sites. The many lawsuits remain up in the air.
Online Betting Sites
Sources
Sports Betting In Washington State
WSGC Online Gambling Policies
Washington State Gambling Laws
Muckleshoot Casino’s Bingo Gaming App
Why Washington Still Bans Online Gambling?
Social Gaming Sites Hit with Illegal Gambling Lawsuits
WSGC Orders Valve to Police Skin-Gambling
Tribal Casinos Sue Valve Claiming Its Illegal Online Gambling