Tribal sports betting bill to be considered in Washington State

Washington State might be joining the rush to sports betting. The Seattle Times reports that the state House of Representatives will be considering a bill to legalize the activity in tribal casinos.

Democrat Majority Caucus Chair Eric Pettigrew, along with seven other representatives, have put forward House Bill 1975, which calls for both professional and collegiate sports wagering to be allowed within tribal facilities, as well as online. Currently, online gambling in Washington State is a felony.

The bill is fairly limited, leaving a lot to further negotiation should it be passed. The expectation is that, if the bill is passed, negotiations with the tribes on what they will be allowed to offer will open up the floodgates to more widespread options in the state down the road. The Washington State Gambling Commission’s Chris Stearns said, “The bill doesn’t say very much, but the way federal Indian gaming law works is, just as long as the state permits something it opens the door for the tribes to operate based on what they negotiate.”

The bill puts a lot of faith in the tribal casinos to set a standard for the rest of the state to follow. It says, in part, “Tribes have more than 20 years’ experience with, and a proven track record of, successfully operating and regulating gaming facilities in accordance with tribal gaming compacts.”