Sports betting has been legal in Washington State since March 2020 at retail tribal casinos. However, with more major online bookmakers partnering with tribal casinos, there is hope that legal online sports betting will soon become more widespread. 

Unfortunately, daily fantasy sports competitions are not included under the current online sports betting laws in Washington State. This means that players are not able to use popular services such as DraftKings or FanDuel in the Evergreen State. 

More on Washington Sports Betting

Washington Sports Betting: As it stands 

Washington State has historically maintained strict gambling laws, and this spirit has continued since legal sports betting was introduced in March 2020. While betting on sports is now fully legal, it can only take place at one of the state’s tribal casino sportsbooks. 

This includes online sports betting too. While bettors are able to use mobile devices to place bets, it is geo-locked so that they can only be made inside the grounds of one of the Evergreen State’s tribal casinos via their accompanying app. 

The first sportsbook in Washington State opened in September 2021 at the Snoqualmie Casino, accepting bets over the counter and via an app while on property grounds. 

Neighboring states with legal online sports betting

Neither Idaho nor Montana have legalized online sports betting. However, Washington State’s southern neighbor Oregan does have legal online sports betting via the ScoreBoard app.

Washington State Sports Betting FAQ

Is sports betting legal in Washington State?

Sports betting is legal in Washington State, however, the market is still in its infancy. The bills signing sports betting into law were inked in March 2020, but the first casino sportsbook only began accepting bets in September 2021. 

Currently, players can only place bets at a physical sportsbook or using an app while on the grounds of a tribal casino. 

There is also a rule against placing bets on in-state college sports in both online and retail sports settings. 

Can I play daily fantasy sports in Washington State? 

Washington State is one of the few states which have explicitly made daily fantasy sports competitions illegal. This means that players are unable to take part, with major providers such as FanDuel going as far as to block players from the Evergreen State. 

With leading DFS platforms DraftKings and FanDuel looking to enter the Washington State sports betting market in partnership with local tribal casinos, though, there is hope that in the future perhaps fantasy sports contests may be legalized. 

Can I bet on sports online in Washington State? 

While sports betting is legal in Washington State, there are currently strict rules in place which limit placing bets online. It is only legal to use a tribal casino’s sports betting app on their grounds to place a bet online. 

There is hope that this will change in the future as the market matures. More of the casino operating tribes are signing deals with established major national bookmakers such as BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Caesars. 

How many sportsbooks will there be in Washington State? 

There are currently nine tribes with licenses to offer legal sports betting in Washington State, with another seven on the way. This means that Washington State will soon have at least sixteen sportsbooks among the Evergreen State’s thirty tribal casinos. 

With sports betting regulation being written with such a strong emphasis on protecting the rights of tribal casinos, it is entirely possible that further licenses for the remaining tribes will be granted in the future. 

Can I bet on the NFL in Washington State? 

Sports betting is completely legal in Washington State, and that includes placing wagers on the NFL. Currently, you will have to visit one of the retail sportsbooks located at a tribal casino in order to place a bet on the NFL, however, it is hoped soon that more open online gambling regulations will ease this requirement. 

Most likely Washington sports betting sites

1. BetMGM
2. FanDuel
3. DraftKings
4. Caesars

4. Caesars

The Caesars name is one of the best known and most respected in the entire gambling industry, and its latest partnerships with existing Washington State casinos will expand on the 11 states where it already operates. 

Caesars has partnered with the Muckleshoot Casino and the sister pair of Spokane Tribe and Chewelah Casinos. The focus of these partnerships will be at the Muckleshoot Casino, where Caesars will construct a new retail sportsbook as well as offer the use of their mobile app on property grounds. 

When guests visit the Muckleshoot Casino they will get access to Caesars’ market-leading range of promotions and rewards, along with their thorough catalog of domestic and international sporting events. Players on the app will also be able to use the well-designed One Game Parlay bet builder, which makes picking multiple lines on the same event easy. 

3. DraftKings

DraftKings has announced a partnership with the Tulalip Tribes of Washington which will bring their leading sportsbook to Washington State. While the only plans announced are currently for retail locations, players will be hopeful that DraftKings will allow the use of their sports betting app while on site. 

With the app, players will be able to place bets with a wealth of statistical information at their fingertips, with each event having a special tab that shows all the important information about a game. DraftKings also offer their own expert analysis in their online sportsbook, pointing players towards where they think the day’s winners will be. 

This comes alongside a daily selection of high-value parlay bets and specially selected odds enhanced lines, not to mention their huge selection of promotions and bonuses. 

2. FanDuel

FanDuel is bringing their leading sportsbook to Washington State after signing a partnership with the Suquamish Tribal Gaming Commission. This will bring one of America’s leading sportsbooks to the Evergreen State, along with hopes that eventually it will be able to launch its online sports betting services to players on-site as well. 

No matter how players place their bets on the FanDuel Sportsbook, they’ll discover the value which has helped it stand apart from its peers. When lines across multiple sportsbooks are compared, FanDuel can often be found to be offering slightly better returns and better value for the player. 

1. BetMGM

BetMGM has rapidly become the leading sportsbook during the expansion of legal online sports betting. Thanks to their partnerships with the Puyallup Tribe of Indians and the Emerald Queen Casinos, bettors in the Evergreen State will now be able to experience the BetMGM Sportsbook. 

Alongside their two retail locations, BetMGM hopes to soon offer access to their leading legal online sports betting app while on-site at either Emerald Queen Casino locations. 

This will give mobile sports bettors quick and easy access to BetMGM’s complete selection of domestic and international events, along with the deep amount of lines offered on each game. There are also both premade parlay and special Lion’s Boost bets available daily, along with a huge selection of promotions and bonuses for players.

Check out the best sports betting sites and apps

Is Retail sports betting legal in Washington State?

Retail sports betting is completely legal, with the rights exclusively held by Washington State’s existing casino operating tribes. As an added bonus, players can also use online and mobile betting services while at select casino locations as well. 

Latest Washington State Sports Betting News

Since the first legal retail sportsbook in Washington State opened in September 2021 the market has gradually been expanding.  

The legislation gives sports betting exclusivity to the existing 24 tribes who already run casinos in the Evergreen State. This means that currently partnerships are being formed between existing national sportsbooks and Washington State’s existing casinos. 

So far some of the biggest names in legal online gambling have signed deals which will allow them to begin operations in WA. These include BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Caesars. 

However, the way that Washington State runs its sports betting market is being challenged by card room operator Maverick Gaming. They have filed lawsuits looking to disrupt the exclusivity which has been granted to Washington State’s tribal casinos, a move that has been condemned by the Washington Indian Gaming Association. 

The history of Washington State Sports Betting

The decision to bring legal sports betting to Washington State came as a surprise to many industry observers as the Evergreen State had historically heavily enforced laws controlling gambling. For instance, daily fantasy sports competitions are still banned despite widespread approval elsewhere. 

However, in March 2021 Governor Jay Inslee signed into law a bill that allowed sports wagering at tribal casinos. This led to the Snoqualmie Tribe becoming the first to offer legal sports betting at their sportsbook on 9th September 2021. 

Thanks to the exclusivity granted to Washington State’s tribal casinos, the existing tribes are currently looking to partner with nationwide sportsbooks such as BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Caesars in order to expand their offerings. 

Washington State Sports Teams to bet on

Washington State boasts four professional sports franchises, along with some of the best Division I college programs in the country. With so much action available year-round, residents of the Evergreen State are never left wanting for a team chasing glory. 

Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks were founded as an NFL expansion team in 1976, however, the team did not come into their own as a force until the early 2000s. Since moving to their Lumen Field home in 2002 – a stadium so raucous that the reaction to Marshawn Lynch’s legendary Beast Quake run was recorded as an earthquake – they have been consistent playoff contenders. 

The Seattle Seahawks have a single Super Bowl victory to their name and brought the title home to the Evergreen State in 2013. 

Seattle Sounders FC

The Seattle Sounders joined MLS as an expansion team in 2009, resurrecting the identity of the old Sounders who played in the NASL from 1974 to 1983. The team may be new, but they have wasted no time into becoming one of the powerhouses of North American soccer. 

The Sounders have won two MLS Cups in 2016 and 2019, along with the Supporters’ Shield in 2014. They have also won four U.S. Open Cups, in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2014. 

Seattle Kraken

The Seattle Kraken are the youngest team in the NHL, having been formed as an expansion team in 2018 and only debuting in 2021. It takes time to build up success so it is understandable why the Kraken is not yet in Stanley Cup contention quite yet. 

However, the team has paid tribute to their past by raising a banner in tribute of the 1917 Stanley Cup-winning Seattle Metropolitans. 

Seattle Mariners

The Seattle Mariners joined MLB in 1977 as an expansion team, initially playing their games at the Kingdome before moving to their current SoDo home of T-Mobile Park in 1999. 

The Mariners are yet to bring a World Series back to Washington State, however, did manage to win three West Division titles between 1995 and 2001. 

Washington Huskies Football

The Washington Huskies represent the University of Washington on the football field and are renowned for being a school that knows how to develop top-tier quarterbacks. They hold the incredible record of having 16 of their previous 18 starting quarterbacks go on to play professionally in the NFL. 

However, the Huskies are not just a development school. They have won four Division titles since 2016 alone, converting two of them in 2016 and 2018 into Conference Titles. 

Gonzaga Bulldogs Men’s Basketball

The Gonzaga Bulldogs are always a favorite when March Madness time comes around. They have made an incredible 23 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournaments since 1995, including an unbroken streak dating back to 1998. 

And yet, somehow, the Bulldogs are yet to bring home a National Championship, having been beaten in the final in both 2017 and 2021. However, thanks to their sheer consistency come March, it surely won’t be long until Gonzaga celebrates its first men’s basketball championship.