Dawn of legal sports betting in Washington state in deal with Tulalip tribe

Nearly a year after the Washington Legislature voted to legalize sports betting, terms have been agreed for the first sportsbook to open. It will be inside one of the two Tulalip tribal casinos alongside Interstate 5 north of Everett.

The Washington State Gambling Commission and the Tulalip Tribes announced a tentative agreement Friday to usher in legal sports betting to a limited degree. The agreement likely augurs similar arrangements being reached for other tribal casinos across Washington. The state legislature gave tribes exclusivity for this form of gambling.

"There is still a lot of work before the first regulated sportsbook opens in our state," said Gambling Commission Chair Bud Sizemore in a prepared statement. "I'm hopeful sports wagering can launch before the NFL regular season begins."

The menu of allowed sports to bet upon include top-level professional leagues, the Olympic Games and other international events, college athletics with the notable exception of no betting on games involving in-state schools, plus competitive video gaming (aka eSports). Unlike neighboring Oregon, there will be no online or mobile gaming options outside the walls of the authorized tribal casino resorts.