Dawn of legal sports betting in Washington state in deal with Tulalip tribe

Dawn of legal sports betting in Washington state in deal with Tulalip tribe

Article brief provided by KUOW Radio
  • Tom Banse, KUOW Radio
April 18, 2021 12:55 PM
  • Tom Banse, KUOW Radio

Nearly a year after the Washington Legislature voted to legalize sports betting, terms have been agreed for the first sportsbook to open. It will be inside one of the two Tulalip tribal casinos alongside Interstate 5 north of Everett.

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The Washington State Gambling Commission and the Tulalip Tribes announced a tentative agreement Friday to usher in legal sports betting to a limited degree. The agreement likely augurs similar arrangements being reached for other tribal casinos across Washington. The state legislature gave tribes exclusivity for this form of gambling.

“There is still a lot of work before the first regulated sportsbook opens in our state,” said Gambling Commission Chair Bud Sizemore in a prepared statement. “I’m hopeful sports wagering can launch before the NFL regular season begins.”