The state of Washington has some very stringent rules around gaming. Those who run illegal casinos or engage in unethical gambling operations will face severe consequences. Such conduct is illegal under current legislation. The same may be said of online gaming.
Tribal casinos, horse racing, the lottery, poker, social gaming, and charitable gaming are all allowed despite the seemingly severe legislative attitude towards gambling. The majority of the approximately $3 billion in annual revenue that the state receives from gambling comes from tribal casinos.
While horse racing betting is generally tolerated, betting on greyhounds is illegal. Bets can be placed at either of the state’s two active racetracks, or online. Bets on simulcast horse races can be placed at reputable websites like TVG, BetAmerica, and Twin Spires.
The state’s gambling regulations have a history of frequent revisions. Limits in poker rooms have been raised or lowered, and there have been disagreements about slot machines. There have been several failed attempts to legalize gambling and daily fantasy sports. Fortunately, legislative efforts are in work to reduce the severity of penalties for illegal gambling.
The Evergreen State’s governor passed a measure legalizing sports betting in March, so gamblers have reason to be optimistic for 2020. This is a huge step forward, even if it just applies to casinos on tribal lands.
Curiosities about the State
The legal gambling age in Washington is 18. While the legal gambling age in most other jurisdictions is 21, patrons at tribal casinos typically don’t have to be older than 18. The state is second only to Las Vegas, Nevada, in terms of gambling options, with a wide selection of slot machines and other casino games.
The nation’s capital is located in Washington, and the state of Washington is the only one to be named after a president. Olympia is derived from the Olympic Mountains, which were called for Greece’s mythical Mount Olympus.
The state has generated substantial wealth. Bill Gates, the world’s richest person, has a home in Medina. His impact lives on at Redmond’s Microsoft headquarters. Both Bellevue and Seattle are the birthplaces of multibillion dollar enterprises; Amazon and Starbucks, respectively.
Washingtonians are so kind to animals that they built special bridges so squirrels could cross them. They also make up the bulk of the country’s apple and raspberry harvests. The state’s impressively verdant woods cover an incredible 52% of the rich terrain.
Places to Gamble in Washington
Mini-casinos, bingo halls, and poker rooms dominate Washington’s gaming sector. Twenty-two different tribes are responsible for running the 29 casinos. These businesses are concentrated in the western region around Seattle and Tacoma. There is another concentration of tribal casinos to the east, in the Spokane area.
The Muckleshoot Casino near Auburn has more than 3000 slot machines and 75 table games, making it the largest of the tribal casinos. Auburn is home to both Emerald Downs and Sun Downs, two active horse racing racetrack. You can play more than just slots and video poker at the racetracks these days.
The majority of sweepstakes sites do not break any laws. Slots and poker games may be played for free at Chumba casino and Global Poker.
The state is home to around 95 different types of casinos, card rooms, poker clubs, and horse racing attractions. Visitors may receive the whole vacation experience since many casinos are connected to hotels and resorts. The casinos in Washington are great places to gamble even if they aren’t as flashy as the MGM Grand in Nevada.