Washington allows sports betting, but only in person (or on a phone while on casino property) at tribal casinos. Online casinos, statewide mobile sports betting and sweepstakes casinos are not legal. This guide covers what you can and can’t do in the Evergreen State, who regulates it, and where to get help.
Washington has some of the strictest online gambling laws in the country. State law treats transmitting gambling information over the internet as a felony, and lawmakers have kept sports betting inside tribal casinos rather than opening a statewide app market. At the same time, the state has a big land-based scene: dozens of tribal casinos, licensed card rooms, Washington’s Lottery and live racing at Emerald Downs.
In this article 9 sections
Washington gambling in numbers
| Online sports betting (statewide) | Not legal |
| Retail sports betting | Yes, at tribal casinos, including mobile on casino premises |
| Online casinos | Not legal |
| Horse racing ADW | Yes, through authorized operators (21+) |
| Sweepstakes casinos | Not available |
| Regulators | Washington State Gambling Commission; Washington Horse Racing Commission |
| Helpline | 1-800-547-6133 (Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling) |
Is online gambling legal in Washington?
Mostly no. Washington’s gambling statute makes it a crime to use the internet to transmit gambling information, and the state has never licensed online casinos, online poker or statewide mobile sportsbooks.
The exception is sports betting at tribal casinos. Gov. Jay Inslee signed HB 2638 in 2020, allowing tribes to add sports wagering to their gaming compacts. The first legal bets were taken at Snoqualmie Casino in September 2021, and many tribal casinos now run sportsbooks. Bettors can also use a tribe’s mobile app, but only while physically on that casino’s premises; leave the property and the app locks.
The Washington State Gambling Commission oversees gambling in the state alongside the tribes’ own gaming agencies, which regulate under their compacts.
What you can play in Washington
Sports betting
Legal in person at tribal casinos, and on a mobile app while you are on the casino property. Major venues with sportsbooks include Snoqualmie Casino, Tulalip Resort Casino, Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Muckleshoot Casino Resort in Auburn and Northern Quest in Airway Heights near Spokane. National brands such as DraftKings and FanDuel cannot offer statewide apps in Washington. Our sportsbooks hub covers the states where mobile betting is legal.
Online casinos and poker
Not legal. Washington has resisted online casino and poker legislation, and playing on unlicensed offshore sites carries legal risk in the state.
Horse racing
Legal on-track at Emerald Downs and through advance deposit wagering. State law (RCW 67.16.260) lets the Washington Horse Racing Commission authorize ADW through a licensed class 1 racing association or an operator working under an approved agreement with one. Nobody under 21 may open or use an ADW account, and operators must verify identity, residence and age. AmWager does not currently serve Washington, so check each racebook’s state list.
Sweepstakes casinos
Not available. Washington treats them as illegal gambling, and the major sweepstakes brands, including all of our sweepstakes partners, exclude Washington players.
Daily fantasy sports
Paid daily fantasy contests are treated as gambling in Washington, and the major operators do not offer real-money contests here.
Prediction markets
Kalshi-style exchanges sell event contracts under federal CFTC oversight. Washington sits in the Ninth Circuit, which in August 2026 held that Kalshi’s sports contracts are likely not swaps, letting Nevada regulate them under state gaming law. That reasoning gives Washington regulators room to act too. See our prediction markets guide.
Lottery, card rooms and tribal casinos
Washington’s Lottery sells draw games, scratch-offs and multistate jackpots. Licensed card rooms offer house-banked and player-banked card games, and the state’s tribes run casinos from the Canadian border to the Columbia River.
Betting on Washington teams
Washington bettors who make the trip to a tribal sportsbook can bet on the Seattle Seahawks and Sounders at Lumen Field, the Mariners at T-Mobile Park, the Kraken and Storm at Climate Pledge Arena, and college teams nationally. Washington’s tribal compacts bar wagers on games involving Washington colleges, including the Washington Huskies and Washington State Cougars.
Horse racing at Emerald Downs
Emerald Downs in Auburn, south of Seattle and owned by the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, is the state’s main thoroughbred track. Its live season runs through the spring and summer, headlined by the Longacres Mile, the Pacific Northwest’s best-known race, named for the old Longacres track in Renton. Bet types include win, place and show, exactas, trifectas, superfectas and multi-race wagers such as the Pick 4.
Washington gambling taxes
Washington has no state income tax on wages or gambling winnings, but winnings are taxable federally. Larger wins trigger a W-2G, and from the 2026 tax year the federal deduction for gambling losses is capped at 90% of losses.
Responsible gambling in Washington
Set a budget and use the limits each venue and ADW offers. The Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling runs the Washington helpline at 1-800-547-6133, free and confidential, 24/7, and 1-800-GAMBLER also works from Washington.
Washington gambling in 2027
Mobile betting beyond the casino walls
Washington’s tribal model confines mobile betting to casino premises. Any bill to allow statewide mobile wagering would need tribal support and would be the biggest change since HB 2638.
Prediction markets after the Ninth Circuit
The Ninth Circuit’s August 2026 ruling for Nevada, and its separate ruling for California tribes, give Washington regulators and tribes a path to challenge Kalshi’s sports contracts in the state.
Sweepstakes enforcement
Washington already treats sweepstakes casinos as illegal. Expect continued enforcement as more states pass explicit bans.
Can I bet on sports online in Washington?
Only on a tribal casino’s app while you are on that casino’s premises. Statewide mobile sports betting is not legal.
Is online casino legal in Washington?
No. Online casinos and online poker are not legal, and using the internet to gamble is a crime under state law.
Can I bet on horse racing online in Washington?
Yes, through ADW operators authorized under RCW 67.16.260. You must be 21 or older to open or use an account.
Can I bet on the Huskies or Cougars in Washington?
No. Washington’s tribal sportsbooks do not take bets on games involving Washington colleges.
Are sweepstakes casinos legal in Washington?
No. Washington treats them as illegal gambling, and major sweepstakes brands exclude Washington players.
Where can I get help for a gambling problem in Washington?
Call the Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling’s helpline at 1-800-547-6133, free and confidential, 24/7.
