Are you in Washington and keen on trying your luck in the casinos the state has to offer? Well, luckily for you, we have put together all the vital information you need to know about gambling in the state. Additionally, we suggest you browse through our directory of Washington casinos and gaming facilities the state has to offer, so you can make sure you are only spending your time, and money, at the most reputable and secure casinos out there.
Washington has about 28 Indian casinos which permit table games and electronic games with the number of winners and losers already determined. The absolute minimum pay out for these state tribe casino games is about 75%.
It’s important to know that no casinos in Washington operate throughout the day, and each casino has its own stipulated working hours. Games like blackjack, roulette, slots, and video pokers are permitted by the casinos. Most of these casinos do have toll free numbers to reach a representative on, but keep in mind that some of them only work if the call has been make from Washington itself.
Washington has permitted card rooms since 1974 and subsequently the number of tables has increased over recent years. Then provision was made for house-banked games. The player can wager a maximum amount depending on the licensing norms and the age of a player should be no less than 18 in all cases. Commercial casinos are run by private companies on the non-Indian land.
Any form of gambling which is not covered with law is illegal. The consequences of being caught violating the gambling rules in Washington will be a fine or even imprisonment, depending on the severity of the error.
Precautions to be taken when gaming at casinos in Washington
As is always the case, check about the casinos legitimacy, bonuses, and incentives for the entrants and the security of the data you provide before you hand over any money to the establishment. Make sure that paybacks will run as smoothly as initial payments made to the casino. Check on gambling review sites in order to gather all the information you can before venturing out to top casinos in Washington too quickly.
Washington Gambling Laws
If you want to gamble in Washington State, tribal casinos, racetracks, charitable gambling and lottery are available for you. On the other hand, this state remains strict about online gambling – online betting on horse races remains the only one allowed.
Tribal Casinos
This state allows Native American tribes to build, operate and manage their gaming facilities within tribal land. There are 29 federally recognized tribes and 28 tribal casinos available for players, including Snoqualmie Casino and Puyallup Tribe. They offer Class III games: Blackjack, Craps, Baccarat, Roulette, Pai Gow Poker, Sic-Bo, Poker and Keno. Electronic Tribal lottery terminals and off track betting, as well as Bingo are also allowed. The legal age of participants depends on the establishment and vary from 18 to 21 years old.
Pari-mutuel Betting
Horse races are allowed in the state of Washington in a form of pari-mutuel betting (legalized in 1933), as well as off-track betting. Online betting was legalized in 2004. There are 4 tracks in the state: Emerald Downs, Sun Downs, Waitsburg Race Track and Dayton Days. All participants should be 18 years and above to take legal part of these betting. Greyhound races are considered as illegal.
Charitable Gambling
If the games are organized to raise funds for a charitable organization, then this is considered legal, although only a few games are allowed in these events in the state of Washington. Some of them require a license while others are not. Bingo and raffles are among the most popular games, as well as pull-tabs and punch-boards.
Lottery
The state-run lottery is one of the major forms of gambling around Washington. It was established in 1982, and today offers five draw games, as well as inter-state games such as Powerball, Mega Millions. There are also other popular games available to players, like Lotto, Hit 5, Match 4, Daily Game, Daily Keno and Instant scratch cards (more than 30 games a year). A legal age for gamblers to participate is above 18.
Poker
There are numerous legal poker rooms in the tribal casinos available to play. Social card games are also allowed in this state. It means that you can play against one another in a social gathering (such as at a friend’s or in a family’s home) as long as no one stands to gain profit from the bets or from hosting the game. As for online poker, there is one way for the gamblers to enjoy it in the state of Washington – they can play at any gambling site that is not based inside this state.
Online Gambling
According to the Washington State Constitution, all gambling activities are prohibited unless the activity is specifically authorized in state law. Internet gambling has never been authorized, so, it is illegal in Washington State. There is also a felony charge for those who break the law.