- Washington state has agreed to two more modified tribal compacts.
- These compacts would allow sports betting on the casinos run by the Kalispel and Snoqualmie tribes.
- These tribes join the Tulalip and Squamish tribe as tribes that can offer sports betting after renegotiating their compacts.
LAS VEGAS - The state of Washington has reached agreements with the Kalispel Tribe and the Snoqualmie Tribe to amend tribal compacts to include sports betting.
These two tribes mark the third and fourth tribes in Washington state that have tentatively agreed to include sports wagering in their tribal compacts.
Washington has taken a novel approach to sports betting regulation, in that it is working with the tribes within its borders to allow them to offer sports betting at tribal casinos.
The other two tribes that have reached agreements with the state government are the Tulalip tribe and the Squamish tribe.
Rebecca George, executive director of the Washington Indian Gaming Association, a trade group for tribal government leaders, expects sports betting to reach Washington as soon as this fall, as this and other deals help to bring sports betting to the state as a complement to the gambling methods already available.
“We expect additional compacts to be announced soon,” said George. “...By this fall we anticipate sports wagering will be available at tribal casinos across the state.”
After the Tulalip tribe’s April agreement, further agreements have come quickly, with the Kalispel, the Snoqualmie and the Squamish tribes all agreeing to new compacts within the same week.
Progress seems to be ramping up, and the goal that George set of having sports betting available by autumn seems like it could be plausible.
George also stressed the economic benefits of the tribal compacts to the tribes themselves.
“This new compact will create jobs, add to the local economy, and fund important services for the community, and will build on our established, safe and successful system of tribal gaming in Washington State,” said George.