Washington Governor Signs Law Allowing Betting on In-State College Teams at Tribal Sportsbooks

(AsiaGameHub) –   Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson has approved legislation that lifts the prohibition against wagering on in-state college teams at tribal sportsbooks. The governor signed the bill on March 30, and it will become active on June 11.

This marks the first opportunity since sports betting was legalized in Washington in 2020 for fans to legally bet on local teams such as the University of Washington and Gonzaga University.

The legislation stipulates that betting remains confined to tribal casino properties, requiring patrons to be physically present to place a wager.

Although the law broadens the state’s sports betting market, it upholds a number of restrictions designed to protect integrity. For instance, proposition bets on individual players, as well as bets on coaching decisions and officiating, continue to be forbidden.

Due to these limitations, the change represents a measured expansion of the market rather than a full liberalization. Legislators characterized the measure as a way to strengthen the regulated sports betting industry while confining gambling to a supervised setting.

Law Places Strict Limits on Player Prop Bets

A defining feature of the law is its specific prohibitions. Even with the new legality of betting on college sports, wagers cannot be placed on “the performance or nonperformance of any specifically named individual participant” who is enrolled at a Washington college or university.

While these individual player prop bets are banned, the law permits “portion-of-game” betting, which involves wagers on discrete segments of a contest, like the halftime score or the result of a single quarter. This ensures that many popular bet types remain available without focusing on an individual student-athlete.

Supporters of the measure applauded it, noting that residents were already betting on local teams through unregulated offshore websites. By legalizing collegiate betting, the state can now recapture that revenue and offer a safer, regulated environment for bettors.

The law also introduces enhanced integrity measures. Knowingly threatening a sports official, coach, or participant over a wager-related incident is now classified as a gross misdemeanor, and anyone found guilty will be prohibited from placing sports bets.

NCAA Wants Player Prop Bets Banned

The law’s restrictions on wagering tied to a college athlete’s individual performance align with a wider national discussion about college betting, where player prop bets are facing greater examination due to harassment and integrity issues.

In January, coinciding with the unsealing of indictments in a college basketball point-shaving scandal, the NCAA dispatched a letter to state regulators urging a ban on prop bets for college athletes. The association warned that such wagers elevate the risks of spot-fixing, insider information solicitation, and direct harassment of players.

A recent survey supports the NCAA’s concerns about player harassment. The latest NCAA Student-Athlete Needs, Aspirations and Perspectives survey indicated that almost half of men’s Division I basketball players have faced abuse linked to betting.

Although Washington’s law does not prohibit all proposition bets, it specifically bans the types of wagers most likely to subject student-athletes, coaches, and officials to direct pressure.