Gaming giant Caesars Entertainment is expanding its sports betting brand, Caesars Sportsbook, to Washington state in time for Super Bowl LVI, the company announced on Thursday. The business has received a sports wagering license from the Washington State Gambling Commission, permitting its launch.

The market expansion comes ahead of what is set to be the biggest sports betting day of the year. For launch, Caesars Sportsbook partnered with Muckleshoot Casino, Spokane Tribe Casino, and its sister property, Chewelah Casino.

The partnership plans call for providing in-person sports betting services at each property, bringing the Caesars Sportsbook product to customers in both eastern and western parts of the state, a press release explains. Plans for each casino will range from the opening of a full Caesars Sportsbook location to the offering of self-service betting kiosks.

“Partnering with three tremendous casinos for our expansion into Washington state is a big moment for Caesars Sportsbook,” said Eric Hession, Co-President of Caesars Digital. “We’re thrilled to offer Washington sports bettors a chance to get into the action in time for Super Bowl LVI and we can’t wait to see how fans from Seattle-Tacoma to Spokane enjoy the thrill of betting on their favorite teams and events.”

The new Caesars Sportsbook at Muckleshoot Casino, the largest gaming facility in the Pacific Northwest, is opening on Friday morning and features four live betting windows and nine self-service betting kiosks. Caesars claims there are plans to also offer sports bettors on-property mobile wagering through its Caesars Sportsbook app, “subject to Washington state regulations.”


New Caesars Sportsbook at Muckleshoot Casino.

Meanwhile, a second Caesars Sportsbook location is set to open at Spokane Tribe Casino, while the Chewelah Casino will instead offer their guests sports betting via self-service kiosk technology inside the property.

Muckleshoot Casino in Auburn is holding a grand opening for its sportsbook at 11 a.m Friday. “This is going to be the new form of gaming for the state of Washington,” Muckleshoot Casino Director of Operations Junior Maldonado said ahead of the event, reports King 5. “Anybody in the local area in the state of Washington, come place your bets here at Muckleshoot.”

The new amenity features autographed sports memorabilia, seating for 92 people and a wall-sized LED screen that can show several games at once, along with the aforementioned nine self-service betting kiosks and four live betting windows. The property hired 15 additional staff members to prepare for the launch.

Meanwhile, Caesars Sportsbook at Spokane Tribe Casino has already opened, with a ceremony held on Thursday. Former Seahawks quarterback Jim Zorn, along with former NFL and college football coach Dennis Erickson and former NFL player Eric Wright were all present at the event. The football legends placed the first three bets at the new amenity.

Sports betting in Washington was signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee in 2020. After the Snoqualmie Casino and Puyallup’s Emerald Queen Casino started offering sports gaming in the state last year, with a market debut in September, now more than a dozen tribal casinos across the state have been greenlighted to launch the vertical.

The Caesars launch builds upon similar efforts carried out earlier this month by other sports operators and casinos in the state. Last Friday, Port Madison Enterprises, the business arm of the Suquamish Tribe, and sports betting giant FanDuel, held the grand opening of the new FanDuel Sportsbook at Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort. Before them, the Squaxin Island Tribe’s Little Creek Casino in Shelton also debuted a sportsbook, in early February.

While the quick expansion of sports gaming has been welcomed news for tribes in the state, now able to offer a new product to their guests, the Washington Indian Gaming Association (WIGA) has warned that tribal gaming is “under threat from a neighborhood card room operator” seeking to overturn tribal gaming compacts.

The company to which the WIGA alludes is Maverick Gaming, which owns several cardrooms throughout the state. While tribal casinos have been greenlighted for sports gaming, cardrooms are not allowed. The company has filed a federal lawsuit which, WIGA warns, seeks to overturn the tribal gaming compacts.

Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2022/02/11/61346-caesars-sportsbook-expands-into-washington-at-three-casinos-in-time-for-super-bowl

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