Washington

Find out more about gambling regulations in Washington State.

The WSGC or the Washington State Gambling Commission is responsible for regulating all gambling activity in the state of Washington.  The Washington State Gambling Commission is the 2^nd oldest regulatory authority in the United States and it was created by the state legislature in 1973.  This commission was set up in response to a number of scandals that had taken place in the gambling industry.

This commission consists of 5 members who are citizens of the state.  These members are appointed by the Governor and approved by the Senate.  The members of the commission serve for 6 years on a part-time basis.  Once members are appointed they can only be removed through a subcommittee which is created by the Chief of the Supreme Court.  The commission has been designed so that it remains separate from politics to ensure objectivity. 

The commission chooses a director who then appoints staff for the agency.  There are 157 full-time positions for the Washington State Gambling Commission, 85 of which are law enforcement officials tasked with enforcing the gambling laws of the state.  Four members of the commission are ex officio members that only vote to amend or approve Tribal-State Gaming Compacts in addition to serving as liaisons between the legislature and the commission. 

The Washington State Gambling Commission is responsible for regulating and licensing all gambling activities in the state besides the state lottery and horse racing.  The commission also controls and investigates illegal and unauthorized gaming activities.  The commission is also responsible for co-regulating tribal gaming activities based on the agreements between the state and the tribes.