Washington state lawmakers earlier this month expanded access to individual player prop betting despite ongoing NCAA efforts to ban these types of bets.
- Washington lawmakers approved broadened player prop betting on college athletes, including in-state teams.
- The NCAA continues to push for state and federal bans, citing athlete harassment and integrity concerns tied to prop betting.
- The bill also expands tribal sportsbook access, allowing multiple mobile operators at each casino property for the first time.
Bettors at tribal casinos in Washington will be able to legally place bets on individual player prop bets such as rushing yards and rebounds on NCAA athletes that play for teams located outside the state. Bettors will also be able to bet on Washington college teams, including the University of Washington, Washington State University, and Gonzaga.
The legislation passed with strong bipartisan support in both chambers. Gov. Bob Ferguson could veto the bill in the coming days, but the strong margins mean there are enough votes for an override.
Assuming the governor takes no action, the expanded betting options will take effect in June. Washington bettors will not have an opportunity to bet on in-state teams during this year’s NCAA Tournament.
Gonzaga is the only Washington team to make the tournament this year.
NCAA opposition
Washington’s new prop betting authorization comes as the NCAA has asked lawmakers in all 39 states with legal sports betting to ban individual player prop betting on student-athletes and lobbied lawmakers in Congress to pass a federal ban. A handful of states have taken steps to limit or ban player props. Washington state’s bill to offer more college prop bets underscores the difficulty passing such bans.
Though they make up a small fraction of sportsbooks’ handles, leading sports betting operators have testified against college player prop bans. Player prop betting supporters argue the regulated market is the best way to catch nefarious betting activity. They also note prediction market platforms offer sports event contracts on college player props in a manner that sportsbooks argue circumvent state gambling laws.
A Washington bill lawmakers passed earlier this month that will allow bettors on tribal lands to place legal sports bets on in-state college teams will not take effect in time for March Madness
— Ryan Butler (@ButlerBets) March 17, 2026
The NCAA has maintained that wagers on individual performances for what are technically amateur athletes are subject to far greater manipulation than professional athletes. Ban proponents such as NCAA president Charlie Baker have argued these student-athletes, most of whom live near thousands of other students, are targets of abuse from gamblers, with estimates that more than 10% of players have been harassed for their performance.
About a third of men’s basketball players say they’ve been harassed, according to NCAA studies.
The Washington bill adds gross misdemeanor charges for anyone who “knowingly threatens a sports official, coach, or participant involved in a sporting event, athletic event, or competition upon which a wager may be made.” Anyone found guilty of harassment will be banned from betting in the state.
Expanded tribal gaming
All legal sports bets will remain confined to tribal lands under the new bill. Bettors will still have more betting options at each eligible property.
The legislation creates a first-of-its-kind expansion, permitting any third-party sportsbook partnered with a Washington gaming tribe to offer its mobile sportsbook on any property. Previously, a bettor could only use the betting app for the casino’s lone third-party operator.
That means that an eligible bettor at any Washington tribal casino property will have access to FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars, BetMGM and several other leading U.S. online betting operators once the bill takes effect.
Washington is one of eight states with legal sports betting confined to specific gaming properties, all of which have a similar one-book arrangement. The bill could serve as a legislative road map to the other states for similar expansions.
