SPOKANE, Wash. — The Washington State Gambling Commission announced Tuesday it reached a tentative agreement with the Kalispel Tribe of Indians to allow sports gambling.
The amendment to the tribe’s Class III gaming compact allows the tribe and state the ability to address the legislature’s primary sports wagering policy concerns, like licensing, agency funding, regulation, criminal enforcement, money laundering, sport integrity and responsible and problem gambling.
The gambling commission expected to have draft rules for its commissioners to review at the agency’s June 10 public meeting.
The agreement will now go through a state and federal approval process, according to the gambling commission.
First, legislative hearing will be held in the Senate Labor, Commerce and Tribal Affairs and house Commerce and Gaming committees. Then, the gambling commission will view and vote on the compact amendment at the June 10 hearing. According to the gambling commission, if approved the proposed compact amendment will be forwarded to the Tribal Chair and then the Governor for Signature.
Once the agreement is signed, the gambling commission says the tribe will send the amendment to the Secretary of the United States Department of Interior for consideration and publication in the Federal Register. Once its published in the Federal Register, sports wagering can begin.
Washington state was the first state to enact a new sports wagering law in 2020, according to the gambling commission.
This is the third tentative sports wagering agreement in the state, according to the gambling commission.
The Kalispel Tribe of Indians’ tribal-state compact for Class III gaming was originally signed in October 1998 and Northern Quest Resort and Casino first opened in 2000. This is the fourth amendment to their compact.
