Washington Sports Betting Remains Ripe for Potential Online Expansion in 2025

Back when Washington sports betting launched in September 2021, the industry remained relatively new in the United States. Skip ahead to know, more than three years later, and it has expanded in scope and popularity so much that The Evergreen State’s model feels a bit outdated. All of which leads to the question: Is Washington primed for sports betting expansion in 2025?

The inquiry itself isn’t novel. Attempts to expand sports betting in Washington have circulated a handful of times over the past year or two. 

But guess what? Another push for sports betting expansion is apparently en route. What might it entail? Does it have a good chance of passing? Why is the Washington sports betting market, specifically, seemingly primed expansion? Let’s break it all down.

Current Scope of Washington Sports Betting is Pretty Limited

Although the Washington sports betting market launched earlier than many other states, the structure of its services has arguably fallen behind the times. 

When they first legalized wagering, it was on the condition that they restrict transactions to tribal properties. That includes all digital sports betting. Customers can place wagers using Washington sports betting kiosks that have partnered with tribes, but those transactions must take place inside casinos or at least on their property. You cannot, as one example, bet on sports in Washington from the comfort of your own home—unless, of course, you are registered with an offshore betting site.

To be absolutely certain, this was not seen as a true limitation just a few years ago. At that time, online sports betting in the USA was more of an anomaly. Fewer than half of the 50 states offered even on-site wagering options.

But the sports betting climate in the U.S. has since changed a great deal. Now the sports betting in Missouri was just legalized, at least 39 of 50 states as well as the District of Columbia will offer some form of legal sports wagering by the end of 2025. Of those states, 31 of the 39 will carry legal online sports betting services. And by “online sports betting,” we mean the ability to wager on sports using a sports betting app that does not need to be open on tribal property.

However, as of now, Washington sports betting projects to remain one of the few exceptions. In their attempt to ensure sports betting revenue stays in-state, and that tribes are not burned by a more competitive landscape, they are so far sticking with their on-site model. Could that soon change?

Online Sports Betting is Garnering Attention in Washington…Sort Of

Many believe the state could make some addendums in 2025 to include online sports betting options. The topic was broached with legislative members earlier this year. Though a pair of proposals did not pan out, they gained some real traction. The two bills in question (HB 1630 and SB 5587) each had multiple sponsors.

That momentum is expected to guarantee similar talking points remain top-of-mind during the early part of 2025. Still, even if there is an expansion on Washington sports betting, it may not be as broad as you might think. As Covers’ Geoff Zachodne writes:

“Sports betting in Washington state is currently limited to Native American-owned gaming facilities, such as the Emerald Queen Hotel and Casino in Tacoma and the Muckleshoot Casino Resort in Auburn. H.B. 1630 and S.B. 5587 would broaden the availability of event wagering and permit retail and online sports betting sites at a card room or racetrack.  So, even if the bills pass, Washingtonians would not be able to pull up DraftKings or FanDuel on their phone and start gambling from home. The card rooms and tracks would be able to take bets at kiosks, wagering windows, or with an app or site that only accepts action while used on the property of a licensed operator.” 

This setup is almost identical to how things work for sports betting in Wisconsin. Sports betting is exclusive to tribes, but each individual operator is permitted to have a mobile betting app that can be accessed on their property.

Of course, this still doesn’t lend itself to an ultra wide net of sports betting. Sure, it would be an upgrade for Washington state relative to the current structure. But it would not make sports betting as accessible as it is in many other states.

Recent Florida Sports Betting Developments Could Impact Washington’s Gaming Expansion

The above restrictions are likely by design. Or rather, they are concessions the state is embracing to prioritize keeping sports betting revenue in state. 

However, recent developments for Florida sports betting could become a topic of discussion if Washington wishes to expand horizons even further. The Sunshine State currently allows sports betting exclusively through the Seminole Tribe. And per the gaming compact, wagers can only be placed on tribal property.

But the Seminole Tribe, in partnership with Hard Rock Bet, runs a Florida sports betting app that can be accessed anywhere in the state—including off physical tribal property. The Seminoles have argued that because servers operating the app are on tribal land, the app itself is an extension of tribal property.

While this interpretation was hotly contested for a couple of years, the Seminoles’ argument has basically been upheld. Most notably, the Supreme Court of the United States elected not to hear a case against their interpretation. This amounts to approval. And it has allowed the Seminole tribe to offer their sports betting app outside their casinos. 

Tribes in Washington could seek to use similar logic as part of sports betting expansion. In fact, we would almost count on sports betting in Florida playing a role in this year’s discussions. What becomes of those talks remains to be seen. But it would not surprise us if Washington sports betting changes, in some capacity, later next year.

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