Even though Washington offers a few dozen land-based casinos to its residents, it currently doesn’t offer any state-licensed, regulated online options. Moreover, even popular sweepstakes platforms like Stake US or ClubWPT Gold aren’t available.
But, while all of this is a bit inconvenient, Washington players aren’t completely out of options. Offshore real-money sites remain an alternative for those who want to play online poker in Washington.
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Leading crypto site In this article, we’ll go over the regulatory landscape of online poker in the Evergreen State and share our top recommendation for the best poker site for Washington players. Let’s jump right in!
Can I Play Online Poker in Washington?
Yes, you can play online poker in Washington, but only on offshore poker platforms. Washington doesn’t currently offer any state-licensed real-money casino sites. Moreover, it is one of the few states that explicitly doesn’t permit sweepstakes poker if it allows the purchase of credits or coins redeemable for cash.
Washington Online Poker Facts
| Available options | Offshore sites |
| State-regulated poker sites | Not available |
| Age limit for Washington online poker | 18+ |
| Best WA poker site | CoinPoker |
Best Online Poker Sites in Washington
As Washington currently doesn’t have any real-money state-licensed poker sites and is one of the few US states that prohibit online sweepstakes poker, players are left with offshore poker sites as the only alternative. With that in mind, here is our top pick for the best online poker site for Washington players:
CoinPoker – The Best Pick for Washington Players
CoinPoker is the top pick for all Washington players seeking a trusted, safe offshore real-money poker site. This cryptocurrency-based platform is very lenient with its KYC policy, allowing Washington players to play poker in great privacy and enjoy their favorite variations with peace of mind.
When it comes to the available games, CoinPoker currently offers No Limit Hold’em, Pot Limit Omaha, and Pot Limit Omaha 5 across a very good range of stakes. The site offers excellent tournament action with heads-up, four-handed, and seven-handed tables.
CoinPoker also delivers a strong promotional lineup. It offers new players a 150% welcome deposit bonus worth up to $2,000. Moreover, players can take advantage of 33% rakeback through CoinPoker’s native CHP coin. CoinPoker also offers jackpot spin-and-go tournaments called Cosmic Spins, with prizes up to $100,000.
Free Poker vs Real-Money Games
Unlike traditional real-money poker, sweepstakes poker sites operate under promotional contest laws rather than gambling statutes. Players purchase Gold Coins for entertainment and receive Sweeps Coins as a bonus, which can be redeemed for cash prizes. This allows residents to enjoy a realistic poker experience, including Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and tournament play, without technically wagering with real money.
Sweepstakes Model Explained
The sweepstakes poker model uses two virtual currencies: Gold Coins for fun play and Sweeps Coins for redeemable prizes. For example, if you buy a $25 Gold Coin package, you might receive 25 Sweeps Coins as a bonus.
Let’s say you then enter a tournament costing 10 Sweeps Coins. If you win 100 Sweeps Coins in a tournament, you can redeem them for cash. So, in this example, the 100 Sweeps Coins will equal $100 in real prizes.
Regulation Landscape in Washington
Washington has historically taken one of the strictest stances on online gambling in the U.S. The state’s gambling laws, codified in RCW 9.46.240, classify online poker and other internet gambling as illegal. Legislative attempts to regulate online poker, such as HB 1114 in 2015, failed to advance, leaving real-money online poker prohibited.
Despite the legalization of land-based tribal casinos and poker rooms, Washington lawmakers have shown little interest in expanding online poker. The legal framework is heavily tied to anti-gambling provisions, making a regulated online poker market unlikely in the near term.
Most experts believe that, unless there’s a significant shift in tribal-state compacts or federal guidance, regulated online poker will remain a speculative prospect, possibly for many years.