Washington Lawmakers Evaluating Online Sports Betting, Collegiate Sports Betting Expansion

• Washington lawmakers are considering a bill to allow sports bets on in-state collegiate teams
• The bill still prohibits bets on college player props
• The proposed bill also allows customers to place online sports bets for any platform as long as they located on tribal lands

Washington lawmakers are considering a bill to expand the available collegiate sports betting markets in the state, while also allowing an expansion of online sports betting while on tribal lands.

As it currently stands, Washington only allows in-person and online sports betting for customers as long as they are located on tribal lands. SB 6137, if signed into law, will allow Washington sports bettors to place online sports bets while on tribal lands for all partnered platforms, not just the platform partnered with the specific tribe where the customer is located.

Additionally, the legislation will do away with a prohibition on sports bets on in-state college teams, but will still disallow bets on in-state college player props.

Slight Expansion of Betting Opportunities

The bill, SB 6137, was approved by the Senate on Feb. 11 by a 41-8 vote. It currently sits in the House and recently underwent a hearing in the House State Government & Tribal Relations Committee.

Washington online and in-person sports betting is currently limited to only tribal lands. Tribes are allowed to enter into partnership with online sports betting platforms, such as DraftKings or FanDuel, which customers can access only while located on tribal land.

This new bill will allow customers to place bets with any online sports betting platform partnered with a tribe no matter what tribal lands they are located on. For example, if a customer is on the 7 Cedars Casino property, which currently has a partnership with Caesars Sportsbook, they could place a bet with any other tribal partnered online sports betting platform while on the 7 Cedars Casino property, not just Caesars Sportsbook.

Opening up Collegiate Sports Betting

Perhaps the more controversial aspect of the bill is the removal of a prohibition on in-state collegiate sports betting. Washington currently disallows any sports bets on colleges located within the state.

While the bill would allow for betting on in-state colleges, it would prohibit any and all player prop bets of in-state athletes, but will still allow for player props on out-of-state athletes.

Connor Haggerty, assistant director of state relations for Washington State University, testified against the bill during last week’s hearing and stressed the university’s concerns over its student athletes facing harassment stemming from sports betting customers.

“This bill would expose our student athletes to greater harassment and we cannot agree to that. Money will be made on the backs of our students who will see nothing for it and we have a responsibility to them. The prohibition on prop betting doesn’t move the needle for us. We’ve seen many scandals on simple point spread wagers,” he said.