Suquamish Tribe Is First To Apply For WA Sportsbook License

• The Suquamish Tribe was the first in the state to file their application for a Washington sports betting license.
• Three other Tribes have followed suit; the Kalispel, Snoqualmie, and Tulalip Tribes have also put in their paperwork to open sportsbooks of their own.
• The hope is to have legal sports betting odds available by the time the Super Bowl rolls around in 2021.

OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Suquamish Tribe in Washington has officially become the first Tribe to apply for a license to operate a sportsbook in the state.

Once the Tribe has been granted the proper licensing, they can begin offering sports betting to the patrons at their Suquamish Clearwater Casino location.

By law, there will be no statewide internet or mobile platforms for bettors in the Evergreen State to gamble on sports matchups with.

The Landscape Of Washington’s Legal Sports Betting Industry

There are a total of 25 Indian Tribes in the state of Washington that are entitled to offer wagers on sports should they apply to do so. Through the 25 Tribes, there are 35 casinos peppered throughout the state making them all possible locations for sportsbooks.

While the Suquamish Tribe was the first to file their application for licensure, they were followed by the Kalispel, Snoqualmie, and Tulalip Tribes.

Once each Tribe has been approved, their venues can open up sportsbooks in Washington. The four that have now applied can account for at least five locations in Washington that will be open for sports wagering in the future.

There is no word as to how long approvals will take. Some timelines are estimating a launch of the sports betting industry in Washington for early 2021 as construction and other aspects factor into the openings after licenses are given out.

Each of these casinos as well as the ones that have not yet applied will need to partner with an operator that can help them run their sportsbooks.

There have been no partnership deals made with any of the Tribes in Washington and potential sports betting companies. However, there has been chatter of some of the top names in the world of sports gambling wanting to enter the Washington market and this would be a way for these companies to do so.

Some names being thrown out are top online operators like DraftKings, FanDuel, PointsBet, and Fox Bet. There is plenty of time for these companies to try and woo deals with the Tribes and offer sports betting in Washington.

But having to still do so is evidence that there is still a lot that needs to be done before any official launching can take place, making 2021 the best bet for sports bettors in Washington to expect to see legal local sportsbooks. These companies will also need to be licensed before they can offer their services to the casinos.

Now What?

The Washington State Gambling Commission has to approve the Suquamish Tribe as well as the others before any of them can venture further into the sports betting sector of their businesses.

With no mobile or internet betting or in-state college betting due to stipulations within House Bill 2638, there is not much leeway for the amount of revenue that could be seen had those particular facets been legalized.

But the door has been left open for future expansions that could allow for it. For now, gamblers in Washington can expect to be able to bet on the Super Bowl 55 using a state-sanctioned sportsbook should they be in the area of one.

News tags: DraftKings | FanDuel | FOX Bet | House Bill 2638 | Kalispel | PointsBet | Snoqualmie | Super Bowl 55 | Suquamish Clearwater Casino | Suquamish Tribe | Tulalip | Washington | Washington State Gambling Commission