The Stillaguamish and Kalispel Tribes have been celebrating the launch of sports betting at their respective casinos, following the September introduction of sports betting at the Snoqualmie Tribe’s casino.
A total of 16 Washington tribes have received approval to add sports betting, and more announcements from other tribal casinos are expected soon.
Rebecca George, Executive Director of the Washington Indian Gaming Association (WIGA), stated: “The launch of sports betting at a second and third tribal casino in Washington State is an important development for Washington State’s tribes, which rely on gaming revenues to fund essential services for tribal communities, and which are a critical piece of tribes’ ongoing work to build tribal communities and strengthen self-reliance.”
Sports betting launched at Angel of the Winds in Arlington last Wednesday and opened for the general public over the weekend at Northern Quest in Airway Heights outside Spokane. The launches, said George, offer major benefits not just for tribal members but for the local communities that profit from the hundreds of jobs and the substantial economic activity that tribal gaming creates.
“Tribal gaming revenues have a demonstrated track record of providing significant boosts to the overall economies of communities across Washington State,” she noted. “And the public can rest assured that the addition of sports betting at these well-established casinos will be closely regulated and handled responsibly.”
She added: “Tribal gaming has a proven 30-year track record of success in Washington State, and all of the participating tribes have been careful in moving forward with the addition of sports betting. The Washington State legislature’s 2020 decision, with a bipartisan supermajority, to approve sports betting at tribal casinos is further vindicated by this week’s developments.
“As more sports betting operations open in upcoming months at other tribal casinos, responsible adults across Washington State will now have the opportunity to engage in sports betting, and this will happen without a massive expansion of gambling into our neighborhoods and local communities. That is the exact right balance.”
