Washington Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2019

Introduction to Washington Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2019

Washington slot machine casino gambling consists of 29 tribal casinos with a unique type of video lottery terminal (VLT) slot machines. Along with many card rooms in the state, they also offer most Vegas-style table games.

All state-tribal compacts set a minimum payout return limit. However, no payout return statistics of actual gaming is available to the public.

Get My Free Report Revealing…

This post continues the weekly series Online Resource: A State-By-State Slot Machine Casino Gambling Series, an online resource dedicated to guiding slot machine casino gambling enthusiasts to success. Each weekly post reviews slots gambling in a single U.S. state, territory, or the federal district.

Subscribe to the Professor Slots podcast at Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | Pandora | Tune-In | SoundCloud | RadioPublic | Android | RSS and wherever else you find podcasts!

Relevant Legal Statutes on Gambling in Washington*

The minimum legal gambling age in Washington depends upon the gambling activity:

• Land-Based Casinos: 21/18 depending on the casino
• Poker Rooms: 18
• Bingo: 18
• Lottery: 18
• Pari-Mutuel Wagering: 18

Washington slot machine casino gambling exists at tribal casinos based on the lottery’s scratch ticket games in electronic form. This unique form of video lottery terminal (VLT) slot machines makes Washington slot machines unique in the U.S. All other U.S.-based VLTs are lottery draw games, not from lotteries other game: scratch tickets.

Each of the 29 federally recognized American Indian tribes negotiated state-tribal compacts with the state to offer gambling at tribal casinos. However, the state and these tribes could not agree on whether Vegas-style slot machines should be legal in Washington.

Scratch-based VLTs resulted from early negotiations of state-tribal gaming compacts. This impasse resolution led to creating a secondary lottery system for VLTs at tribal casinos. The state lottery was a model for the Tribal Lottery System (TLS).

Get My Free Report Revealing…

Draw-based VLTs create tickets at the time of the bet using random number generators (RNGs). Scratch-based VLTs know in advance the result of each wager. Put another way, the outcome of each scratch-based VLT bet is pre-determined. Bets do not require an RNG.

Another technical difference between lottery draw tickets and scratch tickets is how many of them can exist. For example, there can be as many draw tickets as players are willing to buy. However, lotteries create only a limited number of scratch tickets but, hopefully, enough for a busy night at Washington tribal casinos.

All negotiated tribal-state compacts also have other legal restrictions for their scratch-based VLT-style slot machines. These limits have been expanding over time as part of this state’s dynamic gaming industry. The requirements are:

• Allows replaying of credits won
• No handles
• No mechanical spinning wheels
• A minimum payout return (see below)
• $5 maximum wager on 85% on VLTs
• $20 maximum wager on 15% of VLTs
• Cap of 2,500 VLT machines per tribe

A small group, carousel, or bank of VLTs pull virtual scratch tickets from the same set. Each small group uses a different set. Given these tickets are of a finite number, running out of tickets in a set means only a few VLTs are out of them before switching to a new set of tickets. This switching should take place nearly instantaneously, likely not causing any small group of VLTs to shut down temporarily.

Get My Free Report Revealing…

*The purpose of this section is to inform the public of state gambling laws and how the laws apply to various forms of gambling. This information is not intended to provide legal advice.

Slot Machine Private Ownership in Washington

It is legal to privately own a slot machine in the state of Washington if it is 25 years old or older. However, it cannot have a gambling purpose. For example, it must be free to play.

Gaming Control Board in Washington

The gaming control board is the Washington State Gambling Commission. It provides licensing, regulation, and enforcement of certain aspects of the gaming industry in Washington. Their regulatory responsibilities primarily include testing and approving new electronic gaming machines.

Get My Free Report Revealing…

Otherwise, each tribe with a casino in Washington has a tribal gaming agency (TGA). Agents of a TGA are the primary regulators at tribal casinos. At all times, at least one TGA agent must be on duty at a tribal casino.

Casinos in Washington

There are 29 American Indian tribal casinos available in the state of Washington with more than 35,000 VLT-style slot machines.

The largest casino in Washington is the Muckleshoot Casino having more than 3,000 VLT slot machines and 75 table games.

The second largest casino is Tulalip Casino having more than 2,400 VLT slot machines and more than 35 table games.

Get My Free Report Revealing…

List of Casinos in Washington

The state of Washington has no non-tribal casinos with slot machines. However, Washington has many card rooms or “mini-casinos” with up to 15 tables each.

List of Tribal Casinos in Washington

The state of Washington has 29 tribal casinos. Each casino’s website is in this handy downloadable list. Washington tribal casinos are:

1. Angel of the Winds Casino Resort in Arlington located 50 miles north of Seattle
2. BJ’s Bingo in Fife situated near Tacoma
3. Chewelah Casino in Chewelah situated 50 miles north of Spokane
4. Coulee Dam Casino, one of three 12 Tribes Colville Casinos, in Coulee Dam situated 40 miles north of Seattle
5. Elwha River Casino in Port Angeles situated 70 miles northwest of Seattle by ferry
6. Emerald Queen Hotel & Casino in Fife situated near Tacoma
7. Emerald Queen Casino at I-5 in Tacoma
8. Ilani Casino Resort in Ridgefield located 25 miles north of Portland near the border to Oregon
9. Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton situated 23 miles north of Olympia
10. Lucky Dog Casino in Skokomish situated 23 miles north of Olympia
11. Lucky Eagle Casino in Rochester situated 26 miles south of Olympia
12. Mill Bay Casino, one of three 12 Tribes Colville Casinos, in Manson situated 200 miles northeast of Seattle on the north shore of Lake Chelan
13. Muckleshoot Casino in Auburn situated 20 miles south of Seattle
14. Nooksack Northwood Casino in Lynden situated 14 miles north of Bellingham
15. Northern Quest Resort & Casino in Airway Heights situated 10 miles west of Spokane
16. The Point Casino in Kingston situated 18 miles west of Seattle via Bainbridge Ferry
17. Quil Ceda Creek Nightclub & Casino in Tulalip situated 30 miles north of Seattle
18. Quinault Beach Resort and Casino in Ocean Shores situated 90 miles west of Tacoma
19. Red Wind Casino situated in Olympia
20. 7 Cedars Casino in Sequim situated 70 miles northwest of Seattle by ferry
21. Shoalwater Bay Casino in Tokeland situated 75 miles southwest of Olympia
22. Silver Reef Casino Resort in Ferndale situated 17 miles north of Bellingham
23. Skagit Valley Casino Resort in Bow situated 75 miles north of Seattle
24. Snoqualmie Casino in Snoqualmie situated 30 miles east of Seattle
25. Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort in Suquamish situated 15 miles west of Seattle via Bainbridge Ferry
26. Swinomish Casino & Lodge in Anacortes situated 70 miles north of Seattle
27. Tulalip Casino in Tulalip situated 30 miles north of Seattle
28. 12 Tribes Casino, one of three 12 Tribes Colville Casinos, in Omak situated 165 miles northeast of Seattle
29. Yakama Legends Casino in Toppenish situated 20 miles south of Yakama

Other Gambling Establishments

As an alternative to enjoying Washington slot machine casino gambling, consider exploring casino options in a nearby state. Bordering Washington is:

• North: Canadian Province of British Columbia
• East: Idaho Slots
• South: Oregon Slots
• West: Pacific Ocean

Each of the links above will take you to my state-specific blog for that neighboring state to Washington.

Get My Free Report Revealing…

Payout Returns in Washington

The Tribal Lottery System (TLS) directly controls the results of Washington’s unique VLT-style slot machines. A central computer system at the TLS provides the outcome of each bet made on each tribal casino’s VLT at the time of the wager. This off-site control extends to any bonus rounds.

All tribal-state compacts in Washington established a minimum payout return percentage of 75% for their VLT slot machines. Further, no tribe in the state of Washington releases payout return statistics of actual results for slots.

Our Washington Slots Facebook Group

Are you interested in sharing and learning with other slots enthusiasts in Washington? If so, join our new Washington slots community on Facebook. All you’ll need is a Facebook profile to freely join this closed Facebook Group.

Get My Free Report Revealing…

There, you’ll be able to privately share your slots experiences as well as chat with players about slots gambling in or near Washington. Come join us!

Summary of Washington Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2019

Washington slot machine casino gambling consists of 29 tribal casinos with scratch ticket VLT-style video slot machines. A central computer server at the Tribal Lottery System directly controls the results of each bet. Otherwise, all tribal casinos in the state of Washington offer Las Vegas-style table games.

Tribal-state compacts regulating Washington’s tribal casinos set a minimum payout return of 75% for their unique VLT-style slots. No payout return statistics are available to the public.

Get My Free Report Revealing…

Annual Progress in Washington Slot Machine Casino Gambling

Sometime within the last year, the Two Rivers Casino & Resort in Davenport located 60 miles west of Spokane began to no longer offer a casino alongside its RV park and marina.

2018 Archive: Washington Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2018 – Washington slot machine casino gambling consists of tribal casinos with video lottery terminal style slot machines run by a tribal lottery system. Minimum payout is 75%. Maximum wager is $5, but $20 on 15% of slots. None of the tribes in Washington state are legally required to release actual payout returns for slots.

Related Articles from Professor Slots

• 11 Things You Need To Know About American Indian Tribal Casinos – Tribal gaming is involved, even sophisticated, in terms of legal, regulatory, political, and economic factors. It’s one of the least understood segments of the U.S. gaming industry. This summary article on American Indian tribal casinos helps slot machine casino gamblers better understand the tribal casinos they visit.

Other State-By-State Articles from Professor Slots

• Online Resource: A State-By-State Slot Machine Casino Gambling Series – This online resource for slot machine casino gamblers summaries a third year of 56 weekly posts for each U.S. state, territory, and the federal district. Slots players begin here to learn about the slots gaming industry in each U.S. gaming jurisdiction. This summary article links to 56 individual state-specific posts useful to slots players.
• Previous: Virginia Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2019 – Virginia slot machine casino gambling does not exist, but significant legislative progress occurred in early 2019. There is much work yet to do, but casinos could open as early as November 2020. Currently, pari-mutuel wagering is legal including historical horse racing electronic gaming machines at one horseracing facility.
• Next: West Virginia Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2019 – West Virginia slot machine casino gambling consists of 1 casino resort, 4 racinos, and 1,470 retailers. Machines at casinos have up to 18 games and slots with physical reels. Machines at retailers have 5-10 VLTs with up to 11 different games. The minimum payout return limit is 80%. The maximum limit is 92%, 95%, or 99.9%.