Washington 18 and Up Sports Betting Sites For 2024

Washington outline and flagSports betting is one way to keep yourself forever in the green in the Evergreen State, and upwards of a million Washington residents wager on athletics each year. Though the state legalized domestic sports betting in March of 2020, options are limited to those that are 21 or over.

Washington also features 18 and up sports betting sites that are operating overseas that can allow regional gamblers to lay some action on popular athletic contests 24 hours a day. Naturally, if safety is your goal when betting on sports, you will need to be an informed bettor. To that end, we briefly break down the current sports betting laws in WA, and we explain the legal nuances inherent in using online sports betting sites.

Top Rated 18+ Washington Sports Betting Sites

SportsbookBonusUSARatingVisit
Bovada Sportsbook Logo50% Bonus
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Can I bet on sports in Washington at age 18?

Yes, you can wager on sports in WA at the age of 18, provided you use an offshore sportsbook to do so. Washington’s gambling laws allow for 18-year-olds to place in-person bets, but casinos that serve alcohol typically do not allow anyone under 21 to enter. Although domestic sports betting is now legal in Washington, regulations and tribal gaming compacts need to be negotiated before in-person locations are opened.

WA has state laws in place that ban online gambling of all kinds, but offshore sportsbooks offer their services to 18-year-old Washington residents and visitors over the internet. This means that you can sign up and bet on the NFL, NCAA Basketball, or the NBA as long as you meet the online bookmaker’s age requirements, which are almost universally 18 years old.

We’ve yet to hear of any arrests being made for the crime of gambling on sports on the internet in Washington, but we advise adhering to all state and federal gambling laws that are in place.

Is it legal to bet online at 18+ sportsbooks in Washington?

Technically speaking, no. Washington has laws against online gambling of any sort, and sports wagering falls under that umbrella. You can find that law in its entirety here, and you can see that the “internet” is specifically mentioned as a prohibited platform for gambling.

Nevertheless, offshore sports betting sites have been accepting Washington residents for over a generation, and there is no record that we can find of anyone ever getting into any trouble for using them. The infrastructure required to police online sports betting in Washington simply doesn’t exist, and constitutional privacy considerations are also in play.

Still, given the legal status of the activity, you must proceed at your own risk. US gambling laws do not forbid the use of offshore sportsbooks.

Are sports betting sites safe to use for WA Residents?

If you use just any old sportsbook you stumbled across through a random Google search, perhaps not. However, as long as you use a reputable website like the sportsbooks featured in the table above.

All the best online betting sites are either licensed and regulated in their own home countries or are run by parent firms that are regulated across multiple jurisdictions. Further, these sites all use the latest in encryption technologies, ensuring that your personal and financial information remains safe and secure.

Did the PASPA ruling set the stage for legal sports betting in Washington?

PASPA, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, was the law that prevented all US states except Nevada from offering single-game sports wagering. When the Supreme Court overturned PASPA in May 2018, the door was opened for all sports betting states to legalize and regulate the betting industry as they see fit. Many states have already done so, and analysts believe that Washington will follow suit in the near future.

Pending Washington Sports Betting Bills/Laws

Domestic sports betting was passed by the WA state legislature in March of 2020, and they are currently involved in the long, drawn-out process of constructing gaming compacts with the Native American casinos that will house them. In-person sportsbooks are taking bets now. Look for mobile and online options to appear in the near future.

18+ State-Licensed Sportsbooks in Washington

If you’re looking for local options when it comes to 18+ state-licensed sports betting in Washington, you won’t find any right now. They are on the way, but regulations and tribal gaming compacts need to be negotiated.

However, that situation is more or less moot when you consider that in the meantime you can easily and safely sign up at a trusted offshore sports betting site and get full access to Vegas-style sports betting odds boards right on your smartphone, tablet, or computer.

Legal Football Betting Options For 18+ In WA

18 & Up College Football Betting In Washington

The Huskies and Cougars of the Pac-12 generate large television ratings and massive ticket sales, and regional sports gamblers have parlayed that high level of interest into massive amounts of revenue directed toward online NCAAF betting sites in the state of Washington. If CFP betting is your bag, WA’s top online sports betting sites that are listed on this page ramp up the pace each January when their College Football Playoff begins with props, game lines, spreads, and more.

Over 18 NFL Betting In Washington

The Seattle Seahawks, the “Legion of Boom,” and their legendary 13th man are just a few reasons why the National Football League holds a special place in the hearts of Washington’s football fans. The same can be said for NFL betting in WA, as the online pro football sportsbooks listed on this page allow for 18 and over Washington sports gamblers ample opportunities to lay some action or regular and postseason games. Super Bowl betting is also a big deal each winter, and once again WA’s top online sportsbooks deliver the goods. Check each online sportsbook listed on this page and see what we mean.

Professional and College Teams in Washington

Washington’s major professional teams are all concentrated in and around Seattle. The biggest club for WA bettors is the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL, though plenty of folks like to wager on the Mariners, too. There is also several popular Division I teams spread throughout the state.

Major Professional Teams:

Seattle Mariners: MLB (Seattle)
Reign FC: NWSL (Tacoma)
Seattle Seahawks: NFL (Seattle)
Seattle Sounders FC: MLS (Seattle)
Seattle Storm: WNBA (Seattle)
Seattle Kraken: NHL (Seattle)
Seattle Sea Dragons: XFL (Seattle)

NCAA Division I Teams:

Eastern Washington Eagles: Big Sky (Cheney)
Gonzaga Bulldogs: West Coast (Spokane)
Seattle Redhawks: WAC (Seattle)
Washington Huskies: Pac-12 (Seattle)
Washington State Cougars: Pac-12 (Pullman)

Legal Minimum Gambling Age in Washington

There are lots of local gambling options for WA residents. The state is home to nearly three dozen Class II and Class III tribal casinos, and the gambling ages there are set at 18 and up. If you can’t make it to a casino venue in the state, you can also partake in traditional gambling fare at our recommended offshore sportsbooks, all of which offer full menus of casino table games, slots, and more.

Other Types of Legal 18+ Gambling in Washington

In addition to casino gaming, Washington also has a few other types of legal 18+ gambling options available. These include the Washington Lottery, charitable bingo games, and horse race betting (including wagering at tracks and OTB locations). Conveniently, you can participate in horse racing betting at online sportsbooks if you’re at least 18 years old, as each top site also manages its own national and international racebook.

Additional Resources

While sports betting and gaming should be fun, gambling addictions definitely aren’t. If you or someone you know is suffering from gambling addiction, you can contact the WSHCA’s Problem Gambling service for help.