The Emerald Queen Casino, located in Tocama, Washington, and owned by the Puyallup Tribe, has become the fourth tribal casino in Washington State to launch sports betting. A total of 16 tribal casinos in Washington State have now received approval to add sports betting, with more expected to follow.
Commenting on this latest announcement, Rebecca George, Executive Director of the Washington Indian Gaming Association (WIGA), said: “The option to place a legal bet on sporting betting at a tribal casino has now been available to responsible Washington State adults for more than three months. The Puyallup Tribe’s BetMGM at EQC Sportsbook lounge became the largest sportsbook in the Pacific Northwest when it opened on Monday December 20th. Four tribal casinos across the State now offer sports betting, and 12 more are in the works. The benefits of these operations for Washington State’s tribes cannot be overstated. Tribal communities across Washington count on revenues from tribal gaming to fund a broad range of services for their local communities. The benefits extend beyond reservation borders, adding good jobs and boosting local economic activity.”
“Tribal sports betting, like all tribal gaming, is subject to multiple layers of regulatory oversight, and tribal gaming has a proven track record over three decades of conducting gaming in a safe, fair, and responsible manner. The success of our tribal casinos and the major economic benefits they provide is a testament to the strong partnership that Washington State tribes have forged with the State of Washington and federal authorities. At a time when COVID and other challenges have impacted tribal governments, this new amenity and the revenues it will generate are all the more important in the efforts of Washington’s tribes to strengthen their self-reliance.”
