Washington approves sports betting bill
Governor Jay Inslee signs ESHB 2638 into law allowing tribal casinos to offer sports betting for the first time.
US.- Washington has become the first state in 2020 to legalize sports betting after Governor Jay Inslee signed ESHB 2638 into law on Wednesday afternoon.
The new law is the first in the US to broadly legalise tribal-only sports betting and if successful could see other states follow suit.
It will only allow casinos to open land-based sportsbooks and to also offer on-premise mobile betting, but many industry insiders see it as a positive direction once sports returns after the Coronavirus pandemic.
An emergency clause is included in the law, allowing the Washington State Gambling Commission to begin developing rules and licensing while sports remains out of action for the foreseeable future.
The Western state joins Oregon in offering mobile sports betting through its lottery and at a handful of tribal locations.
Digital sports betting remains illegal in Washington, where online gambling is still considered a crime. The new law only permits mobile betting within tribal casinos.
