Washington State Moves to Expand College Betting under Senate Bill 6137

Washington State is moving forward with plans to expand its legal sports betting framework after Governor Bob Ferguson signed Senate Bill 6137 on March 30. The bill includes provisions to allow wagering on in-state college teams under strict conditions and enforcement actions for bettors who harass players.

SB 6137 will become official Washington State law 90 days after the end of the current session, presumably in time for the start of the college football season. 

Limited Sports Betting Expansion Within a Tribal-only Model

Since legalizing sports betting in 2020, Washington has restricted wagering to tribal casinos operating under gaming compacts. SB 6137 does not change that structure. 

Instead, the bill introduces a targeted expansion by https://legiscan.com/WA/text/SB6137/2025, including University of Washington and Washington State, but only at tribal gaming facilities. Bettors will still have to place wagers in person, either at retail sportsbooks or via mobile devices used on-site. 

The bill doesn’t include measures to open up statewide mobile betting, keeping Washington aligned with a more conservative regulatory model compared to New York, Arizona, and other legal betting jurisdictions.

Strict Limits on Betting Markets Diversity

While the bill expands legal sports betting options in Washington, bettors will be limited to traditional markets like moneyline, spread, and over-under. Player prop bets and in-game events associated with coaching decisions and officiating calls are prohibited.

Lawmakers prioritized these restrictions to protect student-athletes and preserve competition integrity, particularly as concerns around bettor harassment continue to grow. Anyone who threatens a player, coach or official in connection with a wager would be guilty of a gross misdemeanor and potentially banned from legal sportsbooks.

“During a time when online hate and harassment are on the rise, it’s more important than ever that we protect student athletes by properly regulating sports betting on college sports in our state,” State Sen. Adrian Cortes (D-Battle Ground) told the Seattle Times.

Additional provisions reinforce existing prohibitions around match-fixing, bribery and the misuse of insider information.

Push to Bring Betting Into the Regulated Market

Supporters of the measure have consistently argued that betting on in-state college teams is already happening outside the legal system at offshore, unregulated “grey market” sportsbooks. By allowing those wagers within tribal casinos, lawmakers are hoping to enhance consumer protections and more effectively monitor betting activity. 

Tribal gaming stakeholders have also backed the bill, highlighting the strength of existing regulatory frameworks and the opportunity to capture activity currently flowing through offshore or unregulated channels. 

Rebecca George, executive director of the Washington Indian Gaming Association, said the bill “strengthens a model that protects consumers and respects tribal sovereignty, ensuring that any wagering happens within a framework that has worked for decades.”