Online Casinos in Washington
Are real-money online casinos legal in the Evergreen State, and why is online gambling a felony here when so many neighbors have already opened a regulated market?
Short Answer
No. Online gambling is a felony in Washington.
Washington is the only state where placing an online wager is a Class C felony. RCW 9.46.240 makes it a crime to knowingly transmit or receive gambling information by internet, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The Washington State Gambling Commission licenses no real-money online casinos, no online poker, no iLottery, and no sweepstakes apps. Tribal casinos with amended Class III compacts run the only legal sportsbooks, and the few tribal mobile apps work only inside the casino's geofence. Sites advertising "Washington online casino real money" are offshore and operating outside state law.
How It Happened
SB 6613 makes internet gambling a Class C felony
Governor Christine Gregoire signs Senator Margarita Prentice's bill amending RCW 9.46.240 to add the internet and telecommunications systems. The Senate vote was 44-0. The law takes effect June 7, 2006.
Ninth Circuit decides Kater v. Churchill Downs
Judge Milan D. Smith holds that the virtual chips in Big Fish Casino are a "thing of value" and that the app is illegal gambling under Washington law. The ruling becomes the legal foundation for the state's ban on dual-currency sweepstakes casinos.
Governor Inslee signs HB 2638
Sports betting becomes legal only at tribal casinos through amendments to Class III compacts. Commercial card rooms are excluded. The bill carries an emergency clause that blocks a referendum challenge.
First legal sports bet at Snoqualmie Casino
On opening day of the NFL season, former SuperSonics All-Star Shawn Kemp places the first wager. Mobile sports betting launches later that year but only works inside the casino's geofence.
High 5 Games social casino ruled illegal
Federal judge Tiffany Cartwright extends the Kater precedent in Larsen v. PTT, LLC, holding that High 5 Casino and High 5 Vegas violate Washington's Gambling Act and Consumer Protection Act.
Ninth Circuit dismisses Maverick Gaming's challenge
The court affirms dismissal of Maverick Gaming v. United States, citing the Shoalwater Bay Tribe's sovereign immunity as a required party that cannot be joined. The Supreme Court denies cert in October 2025.
AG sues Playtika and Aristocrat over $225M in losses
Attorney General Nick Brown files in King County Superior Court against 16 casino apps including Slotomania, World Series of Poker, Big Fish Casino, and Jackpot Magic Slots, alleging more than $225 million in losses from Washington residents since September 2020.
Sweepstakes Casinos for Washington
Sweepstakes casinos are explicitly illegal in Washington after Kater v. Churchill Downs, and the major operators block Washington IP addresses. Anything you see here is for reference only. These are placeholders until our database is wired in.
Casinos we play at. We earn a commission when you sign up through these.
Why There Are No Online Casinos
Washington is the only US state that treats online gambling as a Class C felony. In 2006, Senator Margarita Prentice's SB 6613 amended the 1973 Gambling Act to add the internet and telecommunications systems to RCW 9.46.240, raising the penalty for knowingly transmitting or receiving gambling information from a gross misdemeanor to a Class C felony. Governor Christine Gregoire signed the bill on March 28, 2006, and it took effect on June 7. Under RCW 9A.20.021 the maximum sentence is five years in prison and a $10,000 fine per offense. The Washington State Gambling Commission enforces the statute and publishes a standing notice that virtual casinos, sweepstakes apps, and offshore sportsbooks targeting Washington residents are illegal.
The Ninth Circuit closed the social-casino workaround in Kater v. Churchill Downs in March 2018, ruling that virtual chips in Big Fish Casino are a "thing of value" and that the app constitutes illegal gambling under Washington law. Judge Tiffany Cartwright applied the same precedent to High 5 Games in Larsen v. PTT, LLC in June 2024, and a King County jury awarded class members about $25 million in February 2025. Attorney General Nick Brown sued Playtika, Aristocrat, and their affiliates over 16 casino apps in King County Superior Court on February 3, 2026, alleging more than $225 million in losses from Washington residents since September 2020. HB 2638 in 2020 legalized sports betting only on tribal land, and Maverick Gaming's federal challenge to the tribal monopoly ended when the Supreme Court denied cert in October 2025.
What You Can Actually Play
The narrow set of legal options for Washington residents who want to gamble.
Tribal Casinos
Twenty-two of Washington's 29 federally recognized tribes operate about 29 casinos with slots on the Tribal Lottery System, blackjack, baccarat, craps, roulette, and poker. The Washington State Gambling Commission negotiates the Class III compacts. The minimum age is 18 at venues that do not serve alcohol on the gaming floor and 21 at the rest.
Tribal Sports Betting
Authorized by HB 2638 in 2020 and live since Snoqualmie Casino opened its book on September 9, 2021. Bets are accepted only on tribal property. A handful of tribes offer a mobile app, but the geofence ends at the casino parking lot, so wagers placed off-reservation remain a felony under RCW 9.46.240.
Commercial Card Rooms
About 38 licensed house-banked card rooms operate statewide, mostly clustered around Seattle-Tacoma, with up to 15 tables each. They offer blackjack, pai gow, Caribbean stud, and other house-banked card games, but no slots, no roulette, no craps. Maverick Gaming, the largest operator with 17 venues at the end, filed for Chapter 11 in July 2025.
Washington's Lottery (retail only)
Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto, Hit 5, Match 4, Daily Game, Cash Pop, and Daily Keno sold in person at licensed retailers. There is no iLottery and no courier service. The state's My Lottery 360 app is for scanning losing tickets to earn rewards points, not for buying tickets.
Play Responsibly
The minimum gambling age in Washington is 18, though most tribal casinos require 21 if they serve alcohol on the gaming floor. If gambling stops being fun, call 1-800-GAMBLER for free, confidential help, or read our responsible gambling guide.
Washington Gambling FAQ
Are online casinos legal in Washington?+
No. RCW 9.46.240 makes it a Class C felony to transmit or receive gambling information by internet, with a penalty of up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The Washington State Gambling Commission licenses no real-money online casinos, and any site advertising "WA online casino real money" is offshore and operating outside state law.
Why is online gambling a felony in Washington but not in other states?+
Senate Bill 6613 in 2006 amended RCW 9.46.240 to add the internet to the list of prohibited transmission means and lifted the penalty from a gross misdemeanor to a Class C felony. Most other states either ignored the question or treated it as a misdemeanor. Washington's classification carries the harshest state-level penalty for online wagering in the country, although prosecutions of individual recreational bettors are rare.
Can I legally bet on sports online in Washington?+
Only inside a tribal casino's geofence. HB 2638 in 2020 limited sports betting to amended Class III compacts. Tribal mobile apps like the one from Snoqualmie Casino stop accepting wagers when you leave casino property. There is no statewide mobile sports betting, and commercial card rooms and racetracks are barred from offering sports wagering.
Are sweepstakes casinos allowed in Washington?+
No. The Ninth Circuit ruled in Kater v. Churchill Downs in March 2018 that virtual chips in Big Fish Casino are a "thing of value" under Washington law, which makes the dual-currency sweepstakes model illegal here. Judge Cartwright extended the precedent to High 5 Games in June 2024, and AG Nick Brown sued Playtika and Aristocrat over 16 casino apps on February 3, 2026. Major sweepstakes brands such as McLuck, Pulsz, Chumba, and Stake.us block Washington IP addresses.
Is daily fantasy sports legal in Washington?+
No. The Washington State Gambling Commission has long held that paid DFS is unauthorized gambling, and the federal UIGEA carve-out does not override state law. Washington is one of only five states, with Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, and Nevada, where DraftKings and FanDuel cannot offer paid daily fantasy contests.
How many tribal casinos are there in Washington?+
Twenty-two of the 29 federally recognized tribes operate about 29 casinos under Class III compacts with the state. They run roughly 30,000 player terminals on the Tribal Lottery System and around 600 table games. Sixteen tribes have signed amended compacts to offer sports betting, and nine had federal Department of Interior approval at launch in September 2021.
How old do you have to be to gamble in Washington?+
Eighteen for the state lottery, card rooms, bingo, and pari-mutuel betting. Tribal casinos set their own age, and most raise it to 21 if they serve alcohol on the gaming floor. Tribal sports betting at the casino window is 18 and up.
Will Washington legalize online casinos?+
Not in the foreseeable future. Tribes hold an exclusive franchise on casino gaming through compacts that would have to be renegotiated, and the legislature has shown no appetite to repeal RCW 9.46.240. Maverick Gaming's federal lawsuit to break the tribal monopoly ended when the Supreme Court denied cert in October 2025. We update this page when the legal status changes.