Finding legal poker sites in Washington isn't the same as finding them in other parts of the Union. While some states in the USA have pushed on with regulation, and many sit on the fence, Washington lawmakers have made their feelings very clear.
Since Pennsylvania’s gambling expansion became law in 2017, there has been incredible anticipation surrounding the launch of online casinos in the state. Both Pennsylvanians and those in surrounding locations couldn’t wait to try out the Keystone State’s take on mobile casino play. Washington State Anti-Internet Gambling Law is to ISPs The only way this “ban” has any teeth is for Washington State to get ISPs to block the “offending” sites themselves except PokerStars did their dirty work for them and gave the right wing and other hick states the blueprint to rid themselves of online gambling and who knows what.
Washington is one of the few US states that has banned online poker WA websites outright. Under a new amendment made in 2006, it became a Class C felony to gamble online within state borders. In 2010, many US sites stopped taking real-money poker deposits from players in the Evergreen State.
Specifically, state policy recommends that, 'it is the policy of this state to prohibit all forms and means of gambling, except where carefully and specifically authorized and regulated.' Clearly, the online poker WA legal landscape is way less favorable to poker players than other states.
However, private - or “social'”- poker games fall under current state law and it is hoped that Washington will reconsider its position on online poker Washington websites in time. For now, state residents must play at any of the great legal poker rooms on the web that are unregulated. Risk of arrest is a possibility, although as yet, no one has been prosecuted for playing online poker in the Evergreen State.
Exploring the legalities of online gambling in Washington state was of key importance to us, as Washington's government has made it a point to criminalize some aspects of the game. If you are going to gamble online, you are actually breaking the law. We are here to explain to you what is safe, what is not, and what will get you slapped with a second degree felony. We do not want our readers to have to be punished under the law, so you will definitely want to follow our advice if you are going to even think about gambling online.
NFL Betting In Washington
Basketball is one of the best sports out here that fans love but NFL season coming back to the world will take all the shine that the NBA season has had. The fact of how the last NFL season ended already has bettors on their pins and needles ready for the NFL to be back to where they can watch and bet on their favorite teams and favorite games. These games they have week in and week out will have a very important matchup that will tell it all as we will see which bettor has done their research and have the most luck on their side throughout the season. Online sportsbooks will have all the games and different betting options available to all players as they will look forward to a profitable season.
Online Gambling Age For Washington Residents
If you are going to gamble in Washington, there is one thing you will definitely be happy to know - you can begin legally gambling as early as 18. If you decide to begin playing in a live or online gambling site, you will find that access can be earned as early as 18.
Washington Online Gambling Laws
Sadly, Washington State is not very friendly to online gambling. Unfortunately, there are actually written laws pertaining to online gambling in the state of Washington. According to RCW 9.46.240, he or she who 'knowingly transmits or receives gambling information by telephone, telegraph, radio, semaphore, the Internet, a telecommunications transmission system, or similar means, or knowingly installs or maintains equipment for the transmission or receipt of gambling information shall be guilty of a class C felony…”
This effectively means that you will be committing a Class C Felony for gambling online. Some other class C felonies? Possession of child pornography and arson. So by gambling online, you are actually committing a crime with the same penalties that are associated with burning down a building or watching illicit activities involving children. Of course, there is a key difference with online gambling: The state doesn’t enforce these laws (because, as you can see, it obviously has more serious matters to handle).
Gambling Sites That Accept Washington Residents
If you live in the state of Washington, you will find that players are able to access a number of gambling sites regardless of how the law feels about it. There are sportsbooks, poker rooms, casinos and more that will accept you regardless of where you live. We do not condone breaking the law, so we cannot recommend you actually follow our advice. We have made this information available simply in order for players to not risk being ripped off solely by joining up with the wrong gambling site.
Bovada: Has Online Casino Play For Washington Players
With some sports in their offseason preparing for next season, there are still ways bettors can make a lot of money on Bovada. You still have the online casino which produces a lot of winners as well. Even though these sporting events had different options, so does the online casino on Bovada. Having the chance to have a live dealer is one and they also have different slot games that bettors can capitalize on. All fun but also beneficial. This makes having a Bovada account worth it because there are so many ways where you can bet and earn money. There is nothing wrong with earning another paycheck and Bovada gives its users all kinds of ways to do that. Go To Bovada!
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SportsBetting: The Best Place For Betting On The Pac-12
One gambling site that we can tell you is worth using is SportsBetting. This site has not yet pulled out of Washington state, deciding that it is safe and legal for WA residents to use. And boy do they use it! Over 100,000 Washington gamblers call SportsBetting home, with new members signing up all the time. SportsBetting gamblers can join from Washington, and nobody has ever been legally penalized for doing so in over two decades of action. New WA members who sign up now can receive SportsBetting’s 50% welcome match bonus worth up to $1000.
If you do decide to join SportsBetting, deposits can be made with Visa, Mastercard, American Express, wire transfers, money orders, cashier’s checks, and prepaid cards. Even better, of course, is the fact that SportsBetting now also accepts Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, DASH, Ethereum, and Litecoin banking options. Indeed, bettors who use cryptocurrency to make deposits at SportsBetting can get $4500 in early-bird bonuses to put towards their bankrolls.
Overall, SportsBetting has given their players access to one of the most enjoyable gambling experiences on the Internet, and we can tell you that this service one of the most impressive gambling sites online, despite the laws that are in place. Go To Sportsbetting.ag
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| Rank | Casino | Highlights | Rating | Visit Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100% Up To $3,000 Read Review | Visit Bovada | ||
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| 3 | 500% Up To $5,000 | Visit Slots.lv | ||
| 4 | 100% Up To $4,000 | Visit Cafe Casino | ||
| 5 | 200% Up To $2,000 | Visit SlotoCash | ||
| 6 | 200% Up To $1,000 | Visit Cherry Jackpot | ||
| 7 | 40% Up To $4,000 | Visit Lucky Red | ||
| 8 | 150% Up To $3,000 Read Review | Visit Las Vegas USA | ||
| 9 | 150% Up To $3,000 Read Review | Visit Sun Palace | ||
| 10 | 100% Up To $1,000 | Visit CasinoMax | ||
| Rank | Sportsbook | Highlights | Rating | Visit Site |
| 1 | 50% Up To $250 Read Review | Visit Bovada | ||
| 2 | 50% Up To $1000 | Visit BetOnline.ag | ||
| 3 | 50% Up To $1000 | Visit SportsBetting.ag | ||
| 4 | 50% Up To $1000 | Visit MyBookie | ||
| 5 | 50% Up To $300 | Visit Xbet | ||
| Rank | Poker Room | Highlights | Rating | Visit Site |
| 1 | 100% Up To $500 Read Review | Visit Bovada | ||
| 2 | 100% Up To $1000 | Visit BetOnline.ag |
Online Casinos That Accept Washington Residents
If you do decide to ignore WA’s nonsensical and unenforceable laws and begin playing online gambling games, you will find that there are many options available. These begin with casinos. If you decide to partake in these casinos, you will be able to play a fairly wide number of table games, slots, poker variants, and more – often, you’ll have more options than actual live casinos!
Online Sports Betting Sites That Accept Washington Residents
The state of Washington has, as we have stated, made it a crime for you to gamble online. While you can theoretically be arrested for online gambling, you will find that the easiest way to bet on sports is by simply visiting one of the online gambling options we have listed. Of course, we do not officially recommend this. Wink wink, nudge nudge...
The best sportsbooks we don’t recommend using (ha!) are online betting sites like Bovada, BetOnline, SportsBetting, 5Dimes, BetDSI, and BookMaker. These are the top Internet sportsbooks in the world, and they all take Washington residents as customers. Joining is fast, secure, and free, and payouts are 100% guaranteed. You definitely should never use these sites for all your comprehensive WA sports betting needs. However, if you choose to go ahead and sign up with these books, we certainly won’t tell.
Online Poker Sites That Accept Washington Residents
Even though many of the largest Internet poker rooms have pulled out from the Washington Market, you will find that you do still have options. For Washington residents, we can tell you that there are still several poker rooms that enable you to participate without too many problems. The sportsbooks listed above tend to offer the best live-deal poker experiences, and you can play against real competitors. However, other sites that are more casino-oriented (like Lucky Red, Aladdin’s Gold, and the like), offer lots of kinds of themed video poker. Between these options, you are sure to find the right kind of card game for you.
Online Bingo Sites That Accept Washington Players
Most people don’t think of the Internet when they think of playing bingo, but you can easily do so by way of the online poker rooms and sportsbooks we have put forth. We want our readers to have access to safe online gambling options, and these bingo halls are the best in the business. 5Dimes probably has the best bingo options of any major all-in-one gambling site, but for dedicated bingo action, nobody beats Downtown Bingo for their sheer selection and promotional offers.
Is Online Gambling Legal In Washington?
We have had many ask us if online gambling is legal in Washington, and we have bad news - it is not. Of course, the state doesn’t appear to have ever bothered to enforce this restriction, and there is no record of any WA resident ever being arrested or even fined for betting over the Internet. While it is not likely that you will be the first, it remains a remote possibility. You’re more likely to be struck by lightning, but it’s good to understand your risks. That’s what gambling is all about, after all.
Washington is one of the few states in the US that has actually drafted and passed legislation that prohibits Internet gambling. The law, which can be found in RCW 9.46 of the state’s statutes, states that anyone who facilitates gambling over the Internet is in violation of the law. Reading this, and taking into account the authority that the state of Washington has, we have come to the opinion that this law restricts any actions that online gambling sites located in the state of Washington might take. In other words, this type of law restricts sportsbook and casino operators, not gamblers themselves.
This law does not, of course, have the jurisdiction to forbid operators of online, offshore gambling sites from facilitating gambling. While this law is in effect, however, we urge caution. But we don’t believe that it prohibits the use of an online gambling site that is located in another country, simply because it doesn’t have the authority to do so. There has never been a case of a Washington resident being charged with, let alone arrested for, online gambling when using an overseas, online gambling site.
Is It Safe To Gamble Online In Washington?
This is the million dollar question...and the answer is yes. (Now where’s my million dollars!?) While Washington puffs its chest and sounds really big and bad with its laws about online gambling, it’s all bluster and reality doesn’t back it up. The simple fact remains that the state has no way to stop you and no real way to catch you, either.
Instead, Washington is really strict re any person or business that attempts to offer online gambling within their state. The sites we have listed on this page get around this because they are not even based in the US. And, while they aren't regulated, Washington residents can know that they are safe when gambling with these sites because all have great reputations for paying players on time as well as friendly gambling deposit options for those living in Washington.
One day, Washington may actually institute laws legalizing online gambling and sports betting, as – in the case of the latter – the elimination of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) by the US Supreme Court allows the state to regulate its own sports betting industry as it sees fit. Whether sports betting and online gaming are available first at commercial locales or are simply rolled out at existing tribal casinos, there is not yet any indication of which way the WA state congress wishes to go in the near- to mid-term future.
Are Online Casinos Legal In Washington?
So if you want to know if online casinos are legal in Washington, you will not find that they technically are not. The laws of the land have made it so you are not supposed to gamble online, which means you are not going to be able to participate in these online casinos. While we wish this would change (and while it almost certainly will going forward), you are simply not going to be able to participate in the fun from a formally legal perspective. Of course, since WA doesn’t actually bother to enforce this archaic law, you can do as thou wilt without fear of legal recourse.
Is Online Sports Betting Legal In Washington?
As with online casinos, there is no legal online sports betting in Washington on a purely technical basis. We are sad that this is true, but you cannot legally participate in sports betting over the Internet. This has even caused some online sportsbooks to cease accepting residents from the state of Washington. Of course, all the top books – with the best legal teams who understand the industry’s laws better than anyone – still accept WA residents, and that alone should tell you that signing up at and using these sites is basically a risk-free proposition.
Is Online Poker Legal In Washington?
Online poker rooms were the first gambling outlets to stop serving players in Washington. Some of the world's largest online poker rooms pulled out of the Washington market after challenging the state's law banning online gambling under the pretext that online poker is a game of skill rather than a game of chance. Nevertheless, you can still access robust Internet poker rooms safely in WA, simply by going to the above recommended sites.
Can I bet On Horse Racing In Washington?
Yes, you can bet on horse racing in Washington. There are a number of horse racing tracks throughout the state that have been licensed to accept pari-mutuel wagers on both races taking place at their locations and on simulcast wagering. Simulcast wagering is betting on horse races that are taking place out of the state and being broadcast to your track. Horse racing betting can be done at land-based tracks and at online racebooks, so long as those racebooks are not US-based books. Fortunately, all the top sportsbooks listed here also offer robust national and international Thoroughbred racebooks for fans of the ponies.
Best Funding Methods For Washington Online Gambling Sites
There are a number of ways to fund your online account. Some are extremely fast, while others are more focused on having high deposit limits. No matter which method you use, they’ll all achieve the same goal – money in your account so you can start betting. Below are the top three funding methods available for Washington bettors.
- Bitcoin
- Credit Cards
- Money Order
Mobile Washington Gambling Apps
One of the best perks of using online, offshore gambling sites is their mobile betting features. These allow you to access your favorite sites from your iPhone, iPad, Android, Amazon Fire, or Windows Mobile device, all without having to download anything and without cutting out any of the great features you have come to expect through the standard desktop experience. Mobile Washington gambling can be done through any of the sites recommended on this page, so be sure to check them out.
Washington Gambling FAQ’s
Is It Legal To Bet On Horse Racing Online In The US?
The simple answer is yes, it is legal to bet on horse racing betting online in the US. While certain states, like Washington, have passed laws which prohibit how local racebooks may operate, they do not have the jurisdiction to prevent the usage of online horse racing betting sites that are based in other countries. These sites are regulated by their own authorities, like a gaming commission, and are also licensed by the proper authorities.
Do The Racebooks Above Offer Horse Racing Futures, Props, and Matchups?
All of the racebooks we recommend offer large selections of horse racing futures, props, and even matchups. You’ll be able to find all of them before you even sign up for an account, giving you a chance to see the odds before you sign up with the book. On top of all that, you’ll also have access to their daily free picks and their expert team of writers, who publish articles throughout the horse racing season and leading up to big events. Everything you need for successful horse racing betting can be found at the racebooks above.
Does My Payout Come Back Using The Same Deposit Method I Made?
It doesn’t have to, and in the case of credit card deposits, it literally can’t. When requesting a payout, unless the book has specifically stated that the method of deposit will have to match the method of withdrawal (which only applies when certain bonuses are in effect), it does not have to be the same. Most sites will allow you to choose how you withdraw winnings from your account. Each gambling site is different, though, so be sure to read the fine print before committing to a certain method. That said, our favorite withdrawal method is to simply use Bitcoin, as you can receive your funds the same day, withdrawal limits are high, and there are no added fees.
Will I go to jail for online gambling in Washington?
Online Gambling Washington State Law Schools
Asking if you will go to jail for online gambling is a tough question. While we have never heard of an arrest, we can tell you that it is a technical possibility. Kind of like getting hit by a meteor is a technical possibility (albeit that’s actually happened to a few people in the past). The law is very clear - if you gamble online, you could potentially be arrested. The penalties are hardly befitting of the 'crime,' so you may not want to take the risk, but the risk itself is laughably tiny, and you probably break more laws every day before breakfast without even thinking about it.