Washington State gambling laws are friendly to land-based casinos, but quite unfriendly to online gaming operators. The online gambling laws for Washington State are very tough and we give you ways to gamble online without violating those laws. The Washington Gaming Commission also is tough on Esports operators and other forms of interactive gaming.
Few states outside Nevada and California, however, have more brick-and-mortar regulated gambling venues offline. Washington residents that gamble at these tribal casinos and commercial gaming establishments are not in violation of the law and can gamble worry-free. This guide to Washington online gambling provide Washington residents with all the information they need about legal online gambling websites. We are not lawyers and suggest anyone with deep questions about should speak with a Washington attorney about its gaming laws.
Have a crypto wallet? See the best online crypto casinos!It’s often said that unregulated gambling sectors exist in a legal gray area, but that’s not the case in Washington. Most other states do not refer to online gambling in their laws, but Washington does. In the Washington gambling laws the state prevents all unregulated gambling activities, which also means online gambling.
In 2006, the state of Washington created a law that criminalized online gambling. A 2011 legal challenge to that law saw the law upheld. The consequences of these actions are that Washington state residents can gamble online at any gambling website that is not based in the state, but conforms to the states gambling laws and it is legal.
Residents of the state of Washington have the ability to sign up and bet for real money at offshore online gaming sites. On this site, we review a list of online casinos, sportsbooks, and poker rooms that accept Washington residents.
These offshore gambling sites are licensed and regulated in foreign countries, but follow the quirky laws of Washington state. Some may not allow players until they are 21, though the legal gambling age of 18 in Washington.
The Washington State Gambling Commission licenses and regulates all forms of gambling in the state, except lottery betting. The Gambling Commission has tremendous authority to set the rules and policies of gaming, such as the Esports industry. Online gambling fits under the same guidelines.
The online casinos we bring to Washington residents are friendly to Washington gamblers and accept them at their sites. No resident of Washington State needs to worry that they are breaking the law when they join these sites because they are located offshore out of U.S. jurisdiction. No US individual player has been prosecuted for gaming online, even in regions where it is illegal.
The online casino we review have multiple slots, blackjack, baccarat, video poker, roulette, and many other table games. Each has bonuses and promotions these sites supply you with.
Most forms of sports betting are illegal in Washington state, despite a May 2018 US Supreme Court decision stating that individual states can set their own sportsbook laws. The only form of sports betting that is legal in Washington state “sports pools” and that is only in land-based establishments not online.
The 1961 Federal Wire Act makes it illegal to transmit sports bets across state lines. Washington could legalize single-state sports bets, but has not chosen to do so. Despite the laws, many residents of Washington play on offshore online sportsbooks. The online sportsbooks offer Washington residents live in-play betting, sports scores and schedules, mobile apps, and much more.
Because Washington is so unfriendly to online gambling, poker especially, there are not many poker websites willing to accept Washington residents. However, many unregulated online card rooms accept Washington residents and let them play for real money. These exist as offshore gaming sites, so be careful when signing up at a poker room.
If you’re willing to take the risk, Washingtonians can play at a variety of poker games, poker tournaments, and high stakes cash games. Click the links for these sites to read the review.
We provide Washington residents with online bingo sites that are as safe as the other gambling websites we bring to this page. Washington residents will enjoy the bingo tournaments and big jackpot payouts to winners. Our bingo sites offer a ton of different bingo cards, playing styles, and tantalizing bonuses for Washington residents who are always accepted at these sites. Choose a site and start collecting jackpots.
The Washington Lottery Commission oversees the state lottery, along with the multi-state lottery associations, in the state. Washington joined the Mega Millions multi-state lottery in 2002 and the Powerball association in 2010. Since then, Washington’s lottery had multiple drawings a week in the hundreds of thousands, millions, and tens of millions of dollars.
It is legal to buy lottery tickets and scratch offs in Washington. Thousands of vendors dot the state in convenience store, gas stations, and other lotto vendor areas.
Washington allows charitable gambling organizations to hold raffles for fundraising purposes. The list of charitable organizations include athletic, civic, educational, agricultural, fraternal, patriotic, political, and social organizations. Also, agricultural fairs, religious societies, churches, and grange organizations also can host raffles for fundraising.
To do so, the organization must receive a license from the state. PTA and ASB organizations usually qualify. Lobby groups, including those with a 501c rating from the IRS, do not qualify. The maximum price per ticket is $100, while no free tickets can be printed. Raffle tickets must be sold by the organization’s members. Those members can’t be paid to sell tickets, unless they are an employee.
Tickets can’t be mailed. They can’t be sold over the phone or Internet. They must be paid in full using cash, check, or credit card. IOUs don’t qualify. A person must be 18 years or older to play in a charity raffle. The minimum age to oversee such a raffle also is 18.
Is online gambling legal in Washington?
As hard as they tried, Washington lawmakers were unable to outlaw online gambling completely. Washington’s laws are more concentrated toward operators of illegal online gambling websites than users. It is a Class C felony to operate an illegal gambling site in the state of Washington. Don’t do it.
Technically, it is illegal to sign up at offshore online casinos, poker sites, and sportsbooks. Many Washington residents do it and none have been prosecuted for playing for real money online. That doesn’t mean it won’t happen in the future, but you’re safe playing online for now.
What is the legal gambling age in Washington?
The state of Washington has one gambling age for every type of gambling in the state and that is 18. For land-based gambling, players can wager in casinos, poker rooms, and bingo, lottery venues, and horse and dog racetracks while 18 or older. The same might not apply in the online gaming industry.
For online gambling ,the gambling age includes online casinos, sportsbooks, poker, and bingo. Some gambling websites will not accept players unless they are 21 or older. These sites use age verification software to assure compliance.
Are online casinos legal in Washington?
Offshore casinos operate in Washington for those who play at these sites, but a 2006 Washington law bans online gambling. The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) sued Washington to strike down this law in 2011, but the lawsuit was struck down in 2011.
Every other years or so, Washington lawmakers introduce new bills to legalize online gambling. None of those bills gained traction, so it appears online gambling will be technically legal in the near future. That being said, Washington officials do not prosecute residents for gambling online at offshore gaming sites.
Are online sportsbooks legal in Washington?
No. There are no legalized online sportsbooks in Washington, but authorities do not block bettors from joining an offshore online sportsbook. A number of European countries have started blocking domains of illegal offshore operators, but Washington has taken no such steps. Therefore, there are no laws in Washington that prevent residents from joining these sites so you will not face legal consequences.
Are online poker rooms legal in Washington?
Washington unfriendly to online poker players, making it difficult for residents to find a decent online poker website. Sites like Bovada Poker and Ignition Poker accept American players. These offshore card sites are famous and quite active. We give full reviews of Bovada and Ignition above.
Though the law bans online poker, Washington residents who play online poker at our offshore poker sites are not at risk of prosecution. There are no federal or state laws that ban Washington residents from playing online poker, so you do not have to worry these offshore poker websites are legal. Keep track of the lawsuits filed by New Jersey and New Hampshire against a US DOJ opinion that banned interstate online poker. Those cases could decide Washington online poker laws for years to come.
Will I go to jail for gambling online in Washington?
No, recent history shows no sign that will happen. We do not know of any individual online gambling site player going to jail in the state of Washington. State officials might prosecute illegal online gambling operators for Class C felonies if they sign up players in the state, but they won’t go after players.
Keep checking back for more updates. While Washington has never prosecuted online gamblers, that doesn’t mean it might not in the future.