Washington State Online Gambling Laws
Gambling is in a strange position in the United States. While it is unquestionably one of the most popular hobbies in the country with its popularity still growing, it exists in a very hazy legal realm in most of the nation’s 50 states. Perhaps this contributes to why gambling is popular. Maybe, especially to the types of personalities drawn to gambling anyway, part of the appeal is the vague sense of danger one gets from occupying the legal gray area of gambling in the United States. Then again, maybe it’s just that the gambling laws are confusing. We will clear up Washington gambling laws in this article
Pennsylvania online gambling has reached biggest success within public, promoting numerous events and games. It is 100% legal and secure. If Vegas is mecca for rich people, spending thousands on hotel, planes and restaurants, we can call PA online gambling is a starting point for everyone. (1) Whoever knowingly transmits or receives gambling information by telephone, telegraph, radio, semaphore, the internet, a telecommunications transmission system, or similar means, or knowingly installs or maintains equipment for the transmission or receipt of gambling information shall be guilty of a class C felony subject to the penalty set forth in RCW 9A.20.021. Washington Laws. The gambling law in Washington does not permit web-based gambling. Those who try to gamble on the internet are committing a felony. Players and businesses must adhere to this rule. Overseas websites that don’t care about state laws tend to not touch Washington. Below you can see penalties for violating Washington’s gambling laws: Misdemeanor – Up to 90 days in county jail and/or a $1,000 fine. Gross Misdemeanor – Up to one year in jail and/or a $5,000 fine. Class C Felony – Up to 5 years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine.
According to the federal government, the act of gambling, betting and wagering is not a criminal act. Federal laws like the Wire Act of 1961 and the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) passed in 1992 strictly regulate and restrict the facilitation of gambling and sports betting, but leave the person or persons merely placing a bet largely untouched.
This seems simple, but unfortunately, where the situation gets more complicated is when individual state’s laws begin to creep up as well. Washington is one such state in which gambling legislation gets more complicated than the federal laws that govern the country. The following page will attempt to guide Washington residents step by step through the laws and policies that affect their ability to gamble, as well as advise them on the safest routes to take.
The Legality of Land-Based Gambling in Washington
The terms of gambling legally as laid out by the Washington State legislature are confusing at best. While it’s true that RCW 9.46.0237 defines gambling as “staking or risking something of value upon the outcome of a contest of chance or a future contingent event not under the person's control or influence, upon an agreement or understanding that the person or someone else will receive something of value in the event of a certain outcome,” this is not defined as an actual criminal offense anywhere within the law.
Where the state law does go so far as to say the act of betting or wagering on any outcome reliant upon chance is “illegal” (meaning defined as such an action in the law) it is not a “criminal” action since no framework for punishment of the crime has been defined. This means that while anyone who gambles on games of chance or bets on any future events (sports matches, award ceremonies, political races, etc.) is technically in violation of the law, they will not be arrested or prosecuted since there are no criminal punishments for this act.
In fact, Washington legislation even goes so far as to protect the institution of gambling by outlawing “cheating” during a gambling event. Consulting with RCW 9.46.196 reveals cheating defined as any attempt to manipulate the outcome using a device or bribery. Depending on the severity of the crime, this can classify from an aggravated misdemeanor which can result in a year in prison and a $5,000 fine all the way up to a class C felony. In addition to staying on a Washington resident’s record for many years, a class C felony can result in up to five year imprisonment along with a $35,000 fine. If a gambler takes up residence in Washington, they are strongly advised not to cheat!
With all this legislation revolving around gambling, Washington residents may think they are in the clear no matter what. As long as they avoid cheating, they should avoid any legal attention for merely placing bets and wagers, but they must be careful to avoid what the state of Washington would consider “professional gambling.”
The charge of “professional gambling,” just like cheating classifies as an aggravated misdemeanor up to a class C felony, and carries with it the same jail time and legal fines, which can set a Washington resident’s life back majorly.
Difference Between Gambling & Professional Gambling
While “gambling” is an act that is not criminalized in the state of Washington and “professional gambling” is a serious felony that will almost certainly grab the attention of the authorities, the good news is that the two actions are actually fairly distinct.
Whereas “gambling” means simply the act of betting or wagering based on chance, “professional gambling” entails facilitating these games in such a way that the guilty party makes a profit off of them. This means that in order to be considered guilty of professional gambling, an offender must not only facilitate gambling on a game of chance (perhaps by spinning a roulette wheel, offering a slot machine, or running an illicit sportsbook) they must also make a profit off of the action.
To be clear, making a profit does not mean gambling along with fellow players on an even playing field. One may profit off of gambling by collecting money off a game as the “house,” off of other people’s bets as a “bookmaker,” or charging admission for the privilege to play. By simply avoiding these specific actions, gamblers in Washington should be able to avoid any legal hassles for breaking Washington gambling laws for land based gambling in the state.
The Legality of Gambling Online in Washington
Of all the 50 states, Washington is the only one with such stringent policies written and applied to online gambling.
In section RCW 9.46.240, Washington clearly specifies the internet as a tool by which it is illegal to transmit any information regarding gambling, bets or wagers. In a direct contrast to land based gambling law where the act of placing a bet is not even a criminal act, using the internet to transmit any gambling information, whether you are casually gambling or engaging in “professional gambling” via the internet, is an automatic class C felony.
Any resident caught in violation of this law can be sentenced up to five years in prison and $35,000 making the State of Washington the hardest on online gambling by a significant margin.
If there is a silver lining to the dark cloud of gambling law in Washington, it’s that even though in accordance with the letter of the law using the internet to gamble is just as serious a crime as running a gambling website, it has not been enforced accordingly. In fact, since the laws inception in 2006, no resident of Washington has ever been brought up on charges for merely using the internet to gamble, but several online gambling rings were broken up where the webmasters and their employees were convicted.
While gambling sites that function legally overseas are incredibly discrete with information from US residents and there has yet to be an arrest for simply using one of these sites, it’s still a risk to sign up with these. All the sites indexed below are the personal favorites of everyone associated with WashingtonGamblingLaws.com and we vouch for their discretion and security, but a felony charge is nothing to be trifled with. We recognize that, and simply say that options exist for Washington residents to gamble online that have been safe and sound for as long as the internet gambling laws have been in place.
Laws on Gambling In Washington
When the PASPA was passed through the federal courts in 1992, there were a few states that were exempt. Unfortunately, Washington was not one of them. While the gambling laws have not criminalized the simple act of betting on the outcome of a sports event, the steep legal penalty for facilitating such betting has drastically limited options for Washington residents.
While there are several online sportsbooks that have thus far provided a safe home for thousands of Washington residents, the fact that it is a felony charge to do so still remains. Even though no Washington resident has ever been brought up on such charges, the steep penalties certainly make it at least a bit of a risk.
While the state of Washington has not specifically licensed any brick and mortar casinos to host casino games, there are an incredibly large number of federally exempt tribal casinos within the state of Washington, enough that one may become a regular gambler in Washington and never actually notice they do not live in a state with authorized gambling.
While it’s technically “unlawful” (not criminalized) to participate in any gambling games, the leeway of the law as well as the availability of these exempt casinos should provide plenty of outlets for Washington residents to gamble on games of chance like roulette, blackjack, or slot machines.
As one of the most popular means of betting and wagering across the country, many states write in exemptions for the game of poker in their gambling laws. Thankfully, Washington is one such state. Since poker is considered in the court to be a game of “skill” and not “chance,” there are several state sanctioned card rooms all throughout the territory where residents may check in and play a couple hands of poker.
However, even though these games of skill are not technically considered to be “gambling,” it is worth noting that Washington legislation specifically outlaws online poker, declaring the facilitation or even participation in online poker a class C felony which could result in up to five years of jail time and a $35,000 fine. Even though there has never been a case of a Washington resident brought up on charges for merely participating in online poker, this is an incredibly steep penalty and one that at least deserves some thought.
Legal Gambling Age In Washington
One way to complicate the legal gambling situation in Washington even further is to attempt to gamble underage. In a state where there are plenty of legal gambling outlets, there is no reason for a resident to potentially ruin the opportunity to one day gamble legally for themselves simply so that they may gamble a little earlier, especially in a state where Washington gambling laws allow the generous minimum age of 18.
Those found to be gambling underage will not only be banned from the premises of wherever they are found gambling and be asked to forfeit their winnings, they will surely face penalties from the state like steep legal fees and community service time.
| General | Lottery | Casinos | Poker | Pari-Mutuel | Bingo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
Where to Gamble in Washington
On-Land: Washington residents who want to gamble on land have many options scattered throughout their home state. While casino games are technically outlawed in the state, with such a vast selection of federally exempt tribal casinos, it’s reasonable to expect to find a facility in which to play some slots or a roulette wheel somewhere within driving distance.
Washington is also a major hub for poker rooms. In addition to all the tribal casinos which offer up participation in live poker tournaments, many state sanctioned standalone poker rooms operate, leaving Washington residents with several options to get their social poker fix.
Still, in such a large state landmass wise, these facilities are spread out and there’s no guarantee you will find a facility even within an afternoon’s drive. While even a longer drive can beat an expensive flight to Vegas, there are just not many top-tier casinos to choose from in Washington State.
Online/Web-Based: For Washington residents who wish to gamble from the comfort of their own home, there are several online gambling websites that will accept memberships from them. While it needs to be noted that online gambling in Washington is a serious crime that could result in a $35,000 fine and up to five years in prison, it must also be noted that no Washington resident has ever been brought up on charges purely for gambling online.
All of the websites this page lists are discrete with your information and as safe as can possibly be for gamblers who call Washington home, but it is still a risk to take that is completely up to the individual to decide.
However, unlike illicit land based gambling rings, the fact that these online gambling sites operate legally in their native countries carries a couple of key advantages. Firstly, the fact that they are a legal and legitimate operation means that there should be no concern of them being shut down and therefore forfeiting all funds tied up in their accounts. This means that these online gambling networks can keep their clients’ money safe. Secondly, in order to function legally, they need to be certified by reputable international gaming commissions. This means that not only will players be guaranteed fair play, but efficient and speedy payouts.
Top Legal Gambling Site For Washington Residents
Bovada - Best Sports Betting Payouts in the Northwest
For Washington residents, the Bovada online gambling network is obvious choice. No other website takes as much care with its user’s personal information as this gambling site for Washington residents. There are thousands of Bovada members in Washington to this day who manage to log on and enjoy poker, sports betting, and even some online casino games free from any legal interference.
Perhaps the most enticing offer to new members are the many promotions that new players are qualified for just for registering with the website. When you wish to join the online sportsbook at Bovada, you will find that when you initially deposit money into your account not only did everything you deposited make it over safe and sound, but that you qualify for a full 50% of your deposit all the way up to $250 back in the form of bonus money. If you wish to use your money to play poker, you may qualify for a full 100% back. Bovada offers the safest possible online gambling option for Washington residents, as well as the satisfying knowledge that you are a valued customer. Don’t miss out on these great sign-up deals, if you’re even thinking about online gambling, join Bovada today!
Other Suggested Washington Betting Sites
Disclaimer - Getting More Help
While we are confident the information about Washington gambling laws on this page is accurate and that our research has been thorough and efficient, we are not lawyers and therefore the information on this page cannot be considered a legal consultation. For more information, please check with the Washington legislature at leg.wa.gov.
Washington State Online Poker Law
Washington State has one of the toughest online poker laws in the county. A law was approved in 2006 that criminalizes online poker players, so playing online poker is officially illegal in Washington. The law was challenged, but in 2012 a judge ruled that it can stand.
Several attempts to can the law have failed, even though the state senator who pushed the anti-online poker player law through, Democrat Margarita Prentice, has retired. Don’t assume Prentice was some anti-gambling nutso hell-bent on stopping gambling.
Prentice was a mouthpiece for the 39 Indian casinos that are located within Washington State’s borders. She fought against any type of gambling expansion that may have threatened the casino’s bottom line. In 2006, she set her sights on online poker and blasted it out of the sky with full photons lasers.
As a Class C felony, her law puts online poker players in the same category as child rapists.
But a group of players are fighting back. Washington online poker player Curtis Woodard has begun the process to get a voter-initialized bill that would legalize, tax, regulate, and define an online poker industry. Another initiative is also submitted, which would wipe Prentice’s bill away.
Woodward, with the help of Washington State online poker fans, must collect 246,372 signatures by the end of December 2013. If enough signatures are collected, state senators must decide whether to vote on the bills or decline, which would put it on the ballot for voter referendum in November 2014.
This grassroots movement might actually have enough momentum to work. Most likely it will fall short of the necessary signatures, but look for them to try again. If it does work out, it would completely remove the powerful Indian casino lobby from the equation.
It’s seriously a huge mystery as to why the Indian casinos aren’t backing the initiative with all of their weight. The initiative calls for the online poker rooms to have a brick-and-mortar presence and generally gives existing casinos and card rooms major advantages.
Tribal casinos make up more than $2.1 billion of Washington State’s $2.6 billion gambling industry, which includes dozens of card rooms. With the likelihood that the voter initiative will not have enough signatures to get it on the legislative calendar for 2014, the Indian casinos will mostly likely begin to push for online poker.
Wa Gambling
The most a poker room made in Washington in 2012 was about $2 million. Almost half of the card rooms actually reported losses on the year. Again, why the card rooms and casinos aren’t backing the online poker voter initiative will remain a mystery.
When Can I Play Online Poker in Washington State?
If, miraculously, the online poker voter initiative passes, the cards will fly through the digital ether in 2015. Most likely, look for the Indian casinos to start applying pressure for at least online poker legalization in 2014, with an actual bill getting submitted in 2015. If all goes optimistically well, late 2016 will see the first online poker rooms in Washington State.