Washington State Looks To Add Sports Betting

The state of Washington is the newest player in the sports betting game, introducing bills in its Legislature last week. These recent versions of the bill would allow legalized sports betting at the 29 Indian casinos within the state’s borders.
Although this seems like a slam-dunk deal, there are 19 private card rooms that would be opposed to the deal. Maverick Gaming owner Eric Persson has been vocal in saying that it too should be allowed to provide legalized sports betting, in addition to having mobile bets as part of the offering.
“That’s what the consumer wants,” Persson said to the House Commerce and Gaming Committee earlier last week.
The state officials, however, were not as warm to hearing the people’s thoughts. In fact, they believe that online betting gives the consumers more chances to give in to those temptations and create a gambling addiction.
Chris Reykdal, who is the superintendent of Washington schools, told the committee that online sports betting would be a terrible idea because of the risks it poses to children.
“I oppose any bill that opens gambling to the populace by online means,” said Reykdal.
What naysayers fail to realize is that legalized sports betting does have limitations that they wouldn’t find with a black-market bookie. If you don’t have the money to bet in a legalized setting, you can’t place bets.
When you do so with a black-market bookie, you have the ability to bet money that you don’t have.
Emerald City Support
Nonetheless, the push to get sports betting legalized is on in full force. The Seattle area has a tremendous fanbase of people that would definitely be interested in betting on their hometown teams like the Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Mariners, Seattle Sounders FC, Seattle Storm – and, of course, the newly formed Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League.
“Sports wagering is happening in our state,” said Persson, when referring to illegal forms of gambling. “It will continue to grow.”
While the state of Washington doesn’t have legalized sports betting, its neighbor to the South just launched not too long ago. Oregon, and its Scoreboard app, has gotten underway, and now those residents will be able to place their wagers down on the Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.
Numerous Indian tribe leaders were not in favor of the Senate bill with online sports betting, saying that their casinos are the best place for sports betting to take place. In addition, the tribes were quite adamant about sports betting generating extra funding for things like education, health care, elderly care and other social programs.
It seems like the state of Washington has a strong bond with the Indian tribes, but some of these groups need to adapt with the times. Online betting provides so much extra money that can be used for good things that help the community.
Perhaps there is a way that the two sides can work together and make things more convenient for the people of Washington.