Washington lawmakers have not shown much enthusiasm in legalizing online gambling; indeed, it has been illegal since 2006. Washington law defines gambling as wagering something of value on an event of chance or contingency that may happen in the future.
Washington state law classifies transmitting or receiving gambling information as a Class C felony, which explains why many social casinos do not accept players from Washington state.
Casinos
Washington state has one of the strictest gambling laws. Since 2006, all forms of online gambling have been illegal and considered a class C felony; however, land-based casinos and house banked card rooms still offer blackjack and poker services.
Tribal state gaming establishments in Washington provide what are known as Class III games, such as slots, poker and table games. Although these may differ from traditional casino slot machines in that they work similar to state lottery tickets allowing players a chance at real cash prizes.
Some casinos also provide electronic wallet solutions like PayPal for their players to make deposits and withdrawals easy and secure while still having access to various casino games – this option allows your winnings to remain safe while providing access to more casino games than traditional payment methods like Visa or MasterCard do. However, these types of eWallet options may not be as common.
Poker
Though gambling isn’t subject to state taxes, certain cities, towns and counties may levy small gambling fees that make it important to check with local gambling authorities prior to wagering any money. As well as this advice it’s wise to gamble responsibly by not spending more than you can afford to lose!
Online gaming sites provide access to a range of games and bonuses not found at physical establishments, including free spins on slots that can be used for roulette and Wheel of Fortune-style games, loyalty programs that reward prolific players with cashback, birthday presents, personal assistants or other perks and loyalty points programs that reward prolific gamers with cashback.
Playtech and Novomatic are among the premier software providers featured by top online casinos, known for their superior graphics and features, along with offering an expansive variety of games. Furthermore, these providers have optimized their sites for mobile gameplay – a significant advantage over physical counterparts as they don’t need to worry about space limitations!
Sports betting
Washington state is one of the strictest when it comes to online gambling, limiting it exclusively to advance deposit wagering on horse and dog racing events. There are a few exceptions that allow gamblers to enjoy sports events legally.
As WA players can take advantage of multiple mobile-optimized platforms that support various payment methods, most operators utilize SSL-encryption technology to protect player information – an essential measure against hackers that could steal personal data and use it to gain entry to sites and extort money from them.
Although DFS remains illegal in Washington state, its popularity is increasing thanks to an illegal but legal loophole allowing players from outside Washington to join. This may prompt legislators to legalize it for all players within Washington; until that occurs however, residents may find various non-tribal card rooms offering housebanked and traditional player versus player poker games as alternatives.
Legality
Since 2006, Washington lawmakers have made it a felony to play online poker or gamble at online casinos in their state – one of the toughest anti-online gambling laws in America and still no player has been prosecuted under it. However, Washington offers other forms of legal gambling – tribal casinos, charitable gaming and recently passed a law permitting its tribal casinos to offer sports betting.
Washington’s two main bodies dedicated to overseeing gambling activities are the Washington State Gambling Commission and Tribal Gaming Unit. Both bodies license and regulate all state-based operators while offshore sportsbooks and casinos that accept Washington residents remain plentiful; often offering large jackpots with an international player base. Some even support cryptocurrency payment methods as fast, secure ways of depositing and withdrawing funds quickly and safely.