Federal judge dismisses WA cardrooms’ tribal compact challenge
| By Zak Thomas-Akoo
A federal judge has dismissed a case launched by cardroom operator Maverick Gaming that sought to invalidate tribal sports betting compacts in the Evergreen State.
The case’s failure means that Maverick’s push for sports betting a within neighborhood cardrooms is dead for now.
The federal lawsuit, which was filed in January 2022, sought to challenge tribal sports betting compacts which granted tribes exclusive rights to offer some forms of gaming – notably sports betting – in Washington non-tribal commercial gaming properties.
State tribal interests have characterised the suit as a direct attack on the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), the 1988 federal law which provides the legal basis for tribal gaming.
The dispute dates back to March 2020 when governor Jay Inslee signed into the law House Bill 2638 which legalised in-person sports betting at Class III gaming facilities.