Is Online Gambling Legal In Washington?

The question of, is online gambling legal in the state of Washington, is one that does raise some big questions, more so perhaps than in other states. This goes beyond the simple questions over the required age at which you can gamble, because Washington state has one of the strictest and most active campaigns against online gambling. Washington state is one of the more unique cases when it comes running the gamut of getting online and making bets with sports betting sites, playing a few hands of online poker or simply putting a few dollars on the Seahawks game this weekend..

The thing about Washington is that they one of only a few stats to actually have a state law which prohibits all gambling activities unless they are specifically authorized in state law. When it comes to internet gambling (and this covers poker, casinos and sports betting) then the practice has never been legal inside of Washington state. However, that really hasn't stopped players from getting online in the state and playing poker or placing sports bets. Why? Because ever since the law inside of Washington State to make online gambling illegal, no individual has ever faced prosecution. While players do fall under the blanket of the law, it is not worth the time and money involved for the state to go after players.

This is clear in the own words of the Washington State Gambling Commissions which says that 'enforcement is focused on larger, higher level Inter gambling activities, such as gambling sites and service computers...There is not an active campaign against players.' The difference between Washington State and most of the other states in the USA, is that they actually have the state law in place for reasons of prohibition. Some forms of gambling are exempt though, as advance deposit wagering for horse racing is legal, as well as lottery playing and online gaming "free play." The more stringent rules from Washington state means that some internet gaming sites won't accept players (like Bovada) while some sites leave it up to the own discretion of the players themselves. At the end of the day, the lawmakers in Washington want to protect the public to ensure that gambling is legal and honest. Players who do wish to go ahead and play should do so at reputable online sites.

There around 15 millions Americans who head to offshore websites to play their games and even just visit websites which are located outside of Washington state to get their gambling done. This is why there have been calls for the federal government just to regulate things inside of the US territory. Current guidelines don't actually prohibit online poker but stops banks and financial institutions doing business with internet poker firms, because of laws like the Wire Act. Online gambling in the United States is not illegal because of lack of standardization of laws and this is why players play freely without concern.

Acts like the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act can make deposit and payout methods tricky. So look for options like e-wallets and target only the online gambling sites which have the highest recommendations and reputations as well.

Depending on what you're looking to do, there are several options for online gambling in Washington to choose from including a few that are all encompassing such as BetOnline or Sportsbetting.ag. Both of these sites have online sports betting, poker, and online casino games. Then, for straight casino gambling you can't go wrong with Lucky Red (left), WinPalace or High Noon Casino. All of these options run RTG software so you automatically know that it is a great site for online casino gaming which is important if you're going to risk your hard earned dollar on them. You need to gamble at fair sites and the ones listed below are just that.