The Washington Senate Committee on Ways and Means has voted through a bill that would legalize in-person and online sports wagering activities in the state.
House Bill 2638, along with its companion Senate Bill 6394, would permit land-based sports betting at tribal casinos, in addition to mobile on-premises betting.
Approval from the Committee on Ways and Means, which comes after the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee last week also voted through the bill, will mean that the bill can now progress forward to the Rules Committee for a second reading.
Last month, Washington’s House last week also passed the bill by a conclusive vote of 83-14, primarily due to the bill being sponsored by 20 Representatives.
Key measures in the bill include players being permitted able to wager on any professional sports or athletics event, as well as collegiate sports, the Olympic Games and other international competitions.
The current version of the bill does include language related to license fees and tax rates, but does not set out how much operators would pay.
However, the bill does state that the Washington State Gambling Commission would be responsible for regulating the market, including awarding licenses to operators.