Washington State approves licensing rules in next sports betting step
Operators could gain licensure as soon as August 30 after green light from Gaming Commission
The Washington State Gambling Commission unanimously approved the state’s sport betting licensing rules on July 28, paving the way for prospective operators to begin gaining licensure as soon as August 30.
The next step is for the US Department of Interior to approve the gaming-compact adjustments that Governor Jay Inslee and 16 Native American tribes agreed to earlier this year.
The Interior Department has 45 days from receipt of the amended compact – Inslee signed it in early July – to sign off on it. With the rules set to take effect on August 30, the Gambling Commission could begin issuing licenses that day or soon after if all goes well. That would enable sportsbooks to potentially begin taking bets in time for Week 1 of the NFL season on September 12.
“I am very grateful for all the hard work Commission staff put into getting these rules finalized since we reached agreements with our tribal regulatory partners in May,” said Gambling Commission chair Bud Sizemore. “This ushers in a new era for regulated sports wagering in Washington State, and Washington citizens will be able to access tribal sportsbooks of the highest integrity in the near future.”
The amendments to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 served to establish the framework and regulations for sports betting in Washington. Both retail and mobile betting will be permitted within the tribal gaming facilities, but unlike other states with online betting, there will be no state-wide mobile access. Betting on college sports will be allowed, but not on any games involving in-state programs such as the University of Washington or Gonzaga.
Any operators that wish to partner with one of the tribes to provide sports betting services will need to have their licenses approved by both the tribal gaming agencies and the Gambling Commission.