Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official page posted by the Washington Legislature, fetched 2026-08-29. This is the chaptered version. The official bill page.
CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT SENATE BILL 6137 Chapter 246, Laws of 2026 69TH LEGISLATURE 2026 REGULAR SESSION SPORTS WAGERING—VARIOUS PROVISIONS EFFECTIVE DATE: June 11, 2026 Passed by the Senate March 10, 2026 Yeas 43 Nays 6 DENNY HECK President of the Senate Passed by the House March 6, 2026 Yeas 70 Nays 26 LAURIE JINKINS Speaker of the House of Representatives CERTIFICATE I, Sarah Bannister, Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SENATE BILL 6137 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth. SARAH BANNISTER Secretary Secretary Approved March 30, 2026 2:48 PM FILED March 31, 2026 BOB FERGUSON Governor of the State of Washington Secretary of State State of Washington SENATE BILL 6137 AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE Passed Legislature - 2026 Regular Session State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session By Senators Cortes, Nobles, Saldaña, Stanford, and Wellman Read first time 01/14/26. Referred to Committee on Business, Trade & Economic Development. AN ACT Relating to bolstering the regulated sports wagering industry; amending RCW 9.46.038, 9.46.0364, 9.46.0368, and 9.46.037; and creating new sections. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON: NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The state has long prohibited all forms and means of gambling except where carefully and specifically authorized and regulated. The legislature intends to bolster the regulated sports wagering industry. Currently, sports wagering in Washington is offered exclusively by tribal casinos subject to gaming compacts entered pursuant to the Indian gaming regulatory act. This offering has proven to meet the state's policy of offering gambling only in a highly regulated environment that is safe for the public. Sec. 2. RCW 9.46.038 and 2020 c 127 s 11 are each amended to read as follows: (1)(a) For purposes of this chapter, "sports wagering" means the business of accepting wagers on any of the following sporting events, athletic events, or competitions by any system or method of wagering: (i) A professional sport or athletic event; (ii) A collegiate sport or athletic event; (iii) An Olympic or international sports competition or event; (iv) An electronic sports or esports competition or event; (v) A combination of sporting events, athletic events, or competitions listed in (a)(i) through (iv) of this subsection (1); or (vi) A portion of any sporting event, athletic event, or competition listed in (a)(i) through (iv) of this subsection (1). (b) Sports wagering does not include the business of accepting wagers on horse racing authorized pursuant to chapter 67.16 RCW. (2) For purposes of this section: (a) "Collegiate sport or athletic event" means a sport or athletic event offered or sponsored by, or played in connection with, a public or private institution that offers education services beyond the secondary level((, other than such an institution that is located within the state of Washington )). Sports wagering may not be conducted on: (i) The performance or nonperformance of any specifically named individual participant in any collegiate sport or athletic event who is enrolled in an educational institution located within the state of Washington; (ii) An in-game decision made by a coach who is employed by an educational institution located within the state of Washington; or (iii) An officiating decision in a collegiate sport or athletic event offered or sponsored by, or played in connection with, an educational institution that is located within the state of Washington . (b) "Electronic or esports event" means a live event or tournament attended or watched by members of the public where games or matches are contested in real time by players and teams and players or teams can win a prize based on their performance in the live event or tournament. (c) "In-game decision" means a player substitution, a call for a timeout, a request or challenge for replay review, or an appeal of an officiating decision. (d) "Officiating decision" includes, but is not limited to, an officiating assignment, a call or ruling for a penalty, foul, violation, or replay, or any other decision by a sports official, referee, or umpire that involves the individual's judgment. (e) "Professional sport or athletic event" means an event that is not a collegiate sport or athletic event at which two or more persons participate in sports or athletic events and receive compensation in excess of actual expenses for their participation in the event. "Professional sport or athletic event" does not include any minor league sport. Sports wagering may not be conducted on any minor league sport. Sec. 3. RCW 9.46.0364 and 2020 c 127 s 2 are each amended to read as follows: (1) Upon the request of a federally recognized Indian tribe or tribes in the state of Washington, the tribe's class III gaming compact may be amended pursuant to the Indian gaming regulatory act, 25 U.S.C. Sec. 2701 et seq., and RCW 9.46.360 to authorize the tribe to conduct and operate sports wagering on ((its )) Indian lands, provided the amendment addresses: Licensing; fees associated with the gambling commission's regulation of sports wagering; how sports wagering will be conducted, operated, and regulated; issues related to criminal enforcement, including money laundering, sport integrity, and information sharing between the commission and the tribe related to such enforcement; and responsible and problem gambling. Sports wagering conducted pursuant to the gaming compact is a gambling activity authorized by this chapter. (2) Sports wagering conducted pursuant to the provisions of a class III gaming compact entered into by a tribe and the state pursuant to RCW 9.46.360 is authorized bookmaking and is not subject to civil or criminal penalties pursuant to RCW 9.46.225. Sec. 4. RCW 9.46.0368 and 2020 c 127 s 9 are each amended to read as follows: The transmission of gambling information over the internet for any sports wagering conducted and operated under this section and RCW 9.46.0364 is authorized, provided that the wager may be placed and accepted at a tribe's gaming facility only while the customer placing the wager is physically present on the premises of ((that ))a tribe's gaming facility. Sec. 5. RCW 9.46.037 and 2020 c 127 s 5 are each amended to read as follows: (1)(a) No person shall offer, promise, give, or attempt to give any thing of value to any person for the purpose of influencing the outcome of a sporting event, athletic event, or competition upon which a wager may be made. (((2) ))(b) No person shall place, increase, or decrease a wager after acquiring knowledge, not available to the general public, that anyone has been offered, promised, or given any thing of value for the purpose of influencing the outcome of a sporting event, athletic event, or competition upon which the wager is placed, increased, or decreased. (((3) ))(c) No person shall offer, promise, give, or attempt to give any thing of value to obtain confidential or insider information not available to the public with intent to use the information to gain a wagering advantage on a sporting event, athletic event, or competition. (((4) ))(d) No person shall accept or agree to accept, any thing of value for the purpose of wrongfully influencing his or her play, action, decision making, or conduct in any sporting event, athletic event, or competition upon which a wager may be made. (((5) ))(e) Any person who violates this ((section ))subsection (1) shall be guilty of a class C felony subject to the penalty set forth in RCW 9A.20.021. (2)(a) No person shall knowingly threaten a sports official, coach, or participant involved in a sporting event, athletic event, or competition upon which a wager may be made where the threat is related to a wager on an act or occurrence in that sporting event, athletic event, or competition. (i) A person violates this subsection (2)(a) if: (A) Without lawful authority, the person threatens: (I) To cause bodily injury immediately or in the future to the person threatened; or (II) To cause physical damage immediately or in the future to the property of the person threatened; or (B) The person by words or conduct places the person threatened in reasonable fear that the threat will be carried out. For the purposes of this subsection, "words or conduct" includes, in addition to any other form of communication or conduct, the sending of an electronic communication. (ii) Threatening words do not constitute a violation of this subsection (2)(a) if it is apparent to the sports official, coach, or participant that the person does not have the present and future ability to carry out the threat. (b) Any person who violates (a) of this subsection shall be guilty of a gross misdemeanor subject to the penalty set forth in RCW 9A.20.021. (c) Any person who is convicted of violating this subsection (2) may not place any sports wagers. NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected. NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. This act may be known and cited as the sports wagering integrity act. Passed by the Senate March 10, 2026. Passed by the House March 6, 2026. Approved by the Governor March 30, 2026. Filed in Office of Secretary of State March 31, 2026.
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