The Washington Indian Gaming Association (WIGA) has announced that three further tribes, Colville, Shoalwater Bay and Muckleshoot, have joined the nine other Washington tribes already approved to launch sports betting by the US Department of the Interior.
Rebecca George, Executive Director of WIGA, issued the following statement in response to this exciting development: “The strong partnership that tribal governments in Washington State have built up over the last three decades with the State of Washington and the federal government was further affirmed today, with the Interior Department approving three more tribal compacts, covering the Colville, Shoalwater Bay and Muckleshoot Tribes, allowing those tribes to move forward with sports betting. These three join the nine others that received Interior Department approval last week. Four more tribal sports betting compacts are pending approval.”
Ms George went on to add: “The public can rest assured that tribal sports betting will be conducted safely and responsibly and will be fair for casino patrons. The revenues sports betting generates will remain in Washington State to boost tribal and non-tribal communities alike. Tribal gaming is highly regulated gaming, and our tribal sports betting operations will meet the same high standards that have governed other forms of tribal gaming here in Washington. Washington tribes do gaming right, and we look forward to continuing to offer the highest quality gaming and entertainment options to visitors to our casinos.”
NEWS STORY (NORTH AMERICA/CASINOS/SPORTS BETTING/POLITICS): IMAGE: WIGA Logo
Sports Betting launched at the Snoqualmie Casino
With the NFL football season now up and running, September 14th 2021 saw the Snoqualmie tribe become the first in the State of Washington to go live with its approved sports betting operation. A further eight Washington state tribes have received approval from the Interior Department and will begin to offer sports betting in the coming weeks and months. And another seven Washington State tribes are awaiting approval for their revised tribal compacts.
Rebecca George, Executive Director of the Washington Indian Gaming Association (WIGA), commented: “Today’s commencement of sports betting at the Snoqualmie tribe’s casino marks an important milestone in the progress that Washington State’s tribes have made in regaining self-reliance. The Snoqualmie announcement is just the first; 15 other tribes are expected to begin offering sports betting at their casinos in upcoming weeks and months. The launch of sports betting is going to provide a real boost for tribal communities that are still working to recover from the tough impacts of COVID shutdowns. And the positive benefits will extend well beyond tribal communities themselves. Tribal gaming revenues not only fund critical services for long-underserved tribal communities, but those revenues also bolster the overall economies of communities across Washington State.”
