Welcome to Online Gambling Washington a site dedicated to giving you all the latest news on regulated gambling in the state of Washington. We have a full team of experts that understand the local market and have compiled the most important information for you all in one spot.
Online gambling in the United States has had a very murky past. With no laws for or against it for many years after inception in the late 1990s, offshore sites have been accepting wagers from Americans. Some states have taken an open approach to legalizing online gambling, especially in recent years, with changes on the federal level. Washington, however, is one of the states that has taken a hardline conservative stance on the topic.
Online/Mobile Sports Betting
The area of online gambling receiving the most attention across the country is sports betting. When New Jersey won the right to offer sports betting in its state in 2018, it set a precedent for other states to follow. As of early 2020, almost half the states in the country have passed some form of online betting legislation, with more very likely to come this year.
When it comes to Washington, there have been some efforts to legalize sports betting, but when you understand that almost all forms of gambling are considered illegal in the state, you will understand how hard this fight will be. The only form of sports betting that is legal in Washington is the squares game that is used for guessing scores of games. All other forms of sports betting, including daily fantasy sports and pools such as March Madness, are illegal.
With sports betting becoming legal in nearby Oregon, there are some options for players who just need to get in some bets. Our Sports Betting section outlines how to create accounts, make deposits, and reviews all the different bet types that may be available.
Sorry, no luck for online casino fans in Washington
Online casinos not allowed in Washington, either according to Washington law. While there are several land-based tribal casinos in the state, there has been no movement on reopening the compact to include digital versions of slot machines and table games. Even social games are not allowed in the state, and some companies that have tried to fight this have lost in court.
Online Poker – the toughest stand
At one point in the mid-2000s, online poker was the fastest-growing game in the country. Players from across the U.S. were loving the pooled action of playing against people from across the world. Washington legislators did not like where the unregulated industry was headed, and while the entire country saw a shakedown in the poker world when the UIGEA banking law was enacted, Washington decided to take it one step further.
In Washington, not only is operating an online poker site illegal but PLAYING AT ONE is as well. It is considered a Class C felony crime in the state. Several attempts have been made to have this law overturned, even making it all the way to the State Supreme Court, but every time the ruling has been in favor of the state.
Online Horse Racing
With all the forms of online gambling that are considered illegal in the state of Washington, we wouldn’t be surprised if many of you stopped reading a while ago. If you made it this far, then you are in for some positive news – betting on horse races online is LEGAL in Washington!
How is this possible? Well, pari-mutuel wagering has its own set of rules, primarily because the betting is not a house-vs-player activity. There are racetracks and off-track betting facilities in the state, but several online sites that operate via an Oregon license are also allowed to be accessed by players. As pari-mutuel pooled bets have been carved out of every major piece of gambling legislation, we don’t see any likelihood of this changing soon.
This section of the site will cover all the main bet types in horse racing, which differ greatly from standard wagering rules. We’ll also review all the available sites in detail so you can make a wise choice of where to play.
Online Lottery Games
Residents of Washington state are able to try their luck at winning one of the massive nationwide lottery draw games like Mega Millions and Powerball, but they cannot play these games online. Online lottery games, even subscribing to the land-based draw games, is against the law in Washington.
Online Betting Guides
While you may not currently be able to place many wagers online from Washington, that shouldn’t stop you from learning all about the industry! Perhaps you will be traveling to a region where you can bet legally online, and want to give it a try? Well, this section of our site gives you the basics on just about any game you will encounter on your travels. From table games that are less common that blackjack to the best types of bets to make at an online sportsbook, our team tries to cover every angle for the novice to intermediate bettors.
Online Gambling Bonuses
If you are playing at one of the legal horse racing sites open to Washington residents, you may encounter different promotions designed to offer you an incentive to make a deposit or a bet. These offers are not exclusive to the horse racing industry, so we outline the most common types of online gambling bonuses as well as which ones you should accept that match your gambling appetite.
Online Gaming FAQ:
When will online sports betting be legal in Washington?
With all the talk about sports betting in the country, and the amount of content available on TV, radio, and print available to residents of Washington, it would seem like legalizing the activity would be the smartest move. However, one can never account for the decision making process of government. There have been attempts to move the needle on online sports betting in the state since the repeal of PASPA, but most fall on deaf ears. It is probably that Washington will be one of the last states to regulate online sports betting if they do it at all.
Are offshore gambling sites illegal in Washington?
Well, this depends on who you speak with. We already know that playing online games for real money is considered a felony in the state, but that is only if you get caught. Also, there haven’t been any cases of players being prosecuted under the law, so it seems like more of a scare tactic than anything. One thing is for certain- there are rogue operators that are taking action from residents of the state, as they are based out of the country and clearly have no desire to be part of a regulated U.S. marketplace. We never recommend this way of gambling online, however, as you have no legal recourse should something happen with your account or your money. Steer clear of these sites and look at other ways to occupy yourself.
What happens if I go across the state line and place my sports bets there?
If you are close enough and want to make the trip, Oregon has one sports betting app available which is run by the state lottery. The Scoreboard app will allow you, while you are within the borders of Oregon, to register an account and make wagers. However, when you cross back over into Washington, you will no longer be able to access the account. This is not a problem – your account is still there and active, but you won’t be able to see any of the activity or make a withdrawal, etc. It is a cumbersome way to make your wagers, but it is something you are allowed to do.
Can I play at poker sites that offer play money games or subscriptions?
No. The law is very clear on this -all play at online poker sites is considered illegal. The subscription-based sites and social poker sites have all blocked Washington players, and even free play sites like Poker Stars have stopped accepting players from the state in order to avoid “bad actor” status like they have received in other states.