- Washington lawmakers review changes to tribal casino betting rules that would affect college sports wagering.
- Mississippi takes another shot at mobile betting legalization with a focus on addressing pension system concerns.
- New Jersey puts forward legislation aimed at strengthening player safeguards and game integrity standards.
OLYMPIA, Wash. – Washington legislators sat through testimony on a bill that could flip the script on the state’s sports betting rules by letting tribal casinos take wagers on in-state college teams.
Senate Bill 6137 would open up betting on games with schools like the University of Washington and Gonzaga in them, though it draws a firm line against any prop bets targeting individual athletes from Washington programs.
The bill has received overwhelming support from tribal casino owners. In order for tribal businesses to be competitive in the legal sports betting industry, Ron Allen, Chair and CEO of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, stressed that the change is essential. Supporters claim that regulation is better than prohibition because bettors are already using illicit offshore sites to place bets.
The bill would also allow Washington sportsbooks to work with multiple mobile betting companies on tribal land instead of just one partner. The statewide ban on mobile betting would remain in place. Representatives from Washington State University, however, have voiced grave concerns. According to a survey conducted in November, student-athletes are harassed by gamblers both in person and online. Chris Mulick of WSU warned that the legislation would make these issues worse.
Mississippi’s Third Attempt With Pension Focus
Rep. Casey Eure is pushing legislation to legalize mobile sports betting in Mississippi for the third year in a row, this time promoting it as a way to address the state’s pension financing issue. With over $26 billion in unfunded liabilities, the Public Employees’ Retirement System presently only has 55% of the necessary funds.
Mississippi betting sites would be able to compete with illicit operators under Eure’s proposal, which would permit each casino to collaborate with up to two online platforms. Last year, the bill passed the House 88–10, but it stalled in the Senate because Gaming Committee Chairman David Blount voiced doubts about the potential revenue and worries about how it would affect physical casinos.
Even with legalization, Blount pointed out, it would take more than a millennium for sports betting earnings to cover the pension deficit.
New Jersey Advances Player Protection Measures
Three proposals that address player safety and game integrity in the state’s betting environment have been introduced by New Jersey lawmakers. Senate Bill S3200 establishes a reporting system for anyone who notices something out of the ordinary that could influence a game’s outcome and gives regulators the authority to exclude anyone discovered tampering with sporting events from participating in future betting operations.
Assembly Bills A4002 and A4003 take a different approach by focusing directly on bettor protection. Sportsbook companies would be prohibited from offering promotional offers to clients who already have put protections on their betting activity, and they would have to specify exactly how they handle account limitations.
These three pieces of legislation reflect New Jersey’s balancing act—trying to stay ahead in sports betting in New Jersey while clamping down harder on problems and plugging holes in oversight that have popped up as more people get involved.
