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A bill that would let Washington’s tribal sportsbooks take bets on in-state college teams cleared the state Senate on Feb. 11, sending the proposal to the House for its next test.
Senate Bill 6137 passed 41–8 after a third reading, according to the Senate roll call.
SB 6137 keeps a hard line on player prop bets
The change is narrow but meaningful. Washington already allows sports wagering only at tribal casino properties. What SB 6137 does is remove the current ban that blocks betting on college events tied to Washington-based schools — while still banning wagers that target individual athletes at those schools.
The bill’s key guardrail is written directly into the statute: “Sports wagering may not be conducted on the performance or nonperformance of any specifically named individual participant in any collegiate sport or athletic event who is enrolled in an educational institution located within the state of Washington.”
The bill also keeps Washington’s existing prohibition on betting on minor league sports.
Tribes back the bill; schools warn it expands betting pressure
Supporters told lawmakers the betting is already happening through offshore and other unregulated channels, and that the better option is to keep it inside the state’s tribal regulatory system while keeping player props off the board for local athletes.
Opponents from Washington State University argued the bill is still an expansion and said it increases the risk of online harassment and scrutiny for student athletes, even with the prop-bet ban in place.
The bill’s Senate sponsors are Adrian Cortes, T’wina Nobles, Rebecca Saldaña, Derek Stanford, and Lisa Wellman.
What happens next in Washington
SB 6137 now heads to the state House, where it will need committee action and a floor vote to reach the governor.
Even if it clears the House this session, the bill report says the change would take effect 90 days after adjournment, meaning it would not arrive immediately.
Source: Yahoo
