Emerald Queen Casino Signs On For Sports Betting

TACOMA, WA — Sports betting is coming to Puget Sound. In a joint press release, the Puyallup Tribe of Indians and BetMGM — a sports betting and digital gaming entertainment company — announced a joint partnership to bring sports betting to the Emerald Queen Casinos in Fife and Tacoma.

“Today’s announcement marks another key moment in the expansion of BetMGM as we extend our western footprint into Washington,” said BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt. “The Puyallup Tribe and Emerald Queen Casino are ideal partners for us as they represent the same high-level of service, amenities and experiences that is built into our DNA at BetMGM.”

The release did not say when the sports betting operations would open to the public, only that they were both coming in the near future. The Emerald Queen's website teases a Fall 2021 opening, promising betting on football, baseball, hockey, college sports and mixed martial arts, among others.

The Tacoma casino is slated to receive six sports betting ticket windows and 30 kiosks, plus a new sports viewing area with a dozen 86" TVs to watch the games and 500+ square foot LED wall. EQC Fife will offer sports betting at 22 kiosks, the release said.

“We are very excited to be working with BetMGM to bring legal sports betting to sports fans in the Pacific Northwest," Frank Wright Jr., General Manager of Emerald Queen. "As industry leaders, EQC and BetMGM are two entertainment powerhouses, and combined we will deliver the ultimate fan experience in sports betting.”

The announcement comes hot on the heels of a regulatory change that legalizes sports betting at Tribal Casinos in Washington. In March 2020, Gov. Jay Inslee signed bipartisan legislation setting the framework for sports betting at Tribal Casinos, the News Tribune reported. Following that, the Washington State Gambling Commission voted in July 2021 to allow approved and licensed Tribal Casinos to begin offering sports betting starting Aug. 30 of this year. At the time, 16 of Washington's 29 federally-recognized tribes had already applied for sports wagering licensing, including the Puyallup Tribe of Indians.

"This ushers in a new era for regulated sports wagering in Washington State and Washington citizens will be able to access Tribal sportsbooks of the highest integrity in the near future," said Washington State Gambling Commission Chair Bud Sizemore in a written statement. "My hope is that the completion of these licensing rules will allow us to work more closely with our Tribal and national regulatory partners and local sports teams and leagues to better address the sports wagering black market so that we can continue to protect the public by keeping gambling legal and honest."