The Department of the Interior approved the sports betting compacts of three more Indian Tribes in the state of Washington – a move that has expanded sports betting permits from 9 to 12.
As of September 15th, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and the Shoalwater Bay Tribe are allowed to start preparations for offering sports bets at their casinos. The three tribes join the Lummi Nation, the Suquamish Tribe, the Cowlitz Tribe, the Spokane Tribe, the Stillaguamish Tribe, the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, the Tulalip Tribes, the Squaxin Island Tribe and the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe in offering sports betting services at their tribal casinos.
Four other tribes in the state of Washington – the Kalispel Tribe of Indians, Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, the Skokomish Indian Tribe and the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community – are still waiting for the authorities’ approval of their sports betting compacts.
Although the Tribes are still making announcements and are in the process of receiving sports betting operating permits from the Washington State Gambling Commission, experts believe they will soon be able to start offering the new form of gambling to their customers.
As CasinoGamesPro recently reported, the first legal sports bet in the state of Washington was already placed at the Snoqualmie Casino on September 9th. The Executive Director of the state’s gambling regulatory body, Rebecca George, said that the other 15 tribes are set to begin offering sports betting in the weeks to come. Ms. George further noted that the sports betting services will be conducted in a fair, safe and responsible manner, while the revenues generated by the new form of gambling are set to be used to fund both tribal and non-tribal communities.
Washington Gambilng Regulator and the Muckleshoot Tribe Reach Tentative Agreement on Gaming Compact Amendment
A tentative agreement on an amendment of the tribal Class III gaming compact was reached between the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and the state’s gambling regulatory body.
The amendment includes new provisions that are being implemented for the Tribe that currently do not exist in the compacts of other Indian Tribes in Washington. A total of 10 major changes are included in the tentative agreement, including permission for the tribe to install 4,000 player terminals and 125 gaming tables. Also, one-quarter of the gaming tables will be allowed to offer wagers of as much as $1,000, while a limited number of tables will be allowed to offer wagers of up to $5,000.
Under the amended gambling compact, $30 wagers at the player terminals will be allowed, as well as an extension of credit to customers who meet certain qualifying factors. Some extra funding for gambling addiction treatment is also among the provisions of the amended gambling agreement between the Washington State and the tribe, as well as some charitable contributions. A moratorium on further changes is also established by the compact until 6 months after the Problem Gambling Tax Force finishes a report and establishes a framework for review and approval of the Tribal Lottery System.
According to Jaison Elkins, the Muckleshoot Tribal Council Chair, the latest amendment to the gaming compact will help the tribe keep its casino competitive to rival gambling venues and will ensure some additional resources that are needed to fund important tribal projects and services for the community.
