The Washington State Playing Fee and the Squaxin Island Tribe have struck a tentative deal to replace the Tribe’s Class III gaming compact, a step that might streamline and modernize the principles that govern the Tribe’s on line casino operations. The proposal, often known as the seventh modification, basically rolls the unique 1993 settlement and its six earlier updates into one clear, up-to-date doc.
Fee Chair Alicia Levy mentioned the objective of the brand new settlement is to verify the compact displays immediately’s regulatory requirements, financial realities, and public well being priorities. “The proposed modification modernizes the prevailing compact by adopting a balanced method that helps financial growth, regulatory consistency, and public well being and security,” Levy mentioned in a press release. “The added safeguards and community-focused commitments strengthen accountable gaming necessities.”
Squaxin Island Tribe reaches tentative settlement with Playing Fee on proposed gaming compact modificationhttps://t.co/KnYxUBnISB
— WA Playing Comm (@WAGambling) January 9, 2026
Squaxin Island Tribal Chairman Kris Peters mentioned the settlement would assist maintain a powerful monetary base in place for each the tribal authorities and the broader group. “The Tribe is happy to have reached settlement with the Washington State Playing Fee on a modernized gaming compact,” Peters mentioned. “The compact continues to be a key supply of funding for important authorities providers and employment, benefitting each tribal and group members.”
Up to date Squaxin Island Tribe gaming compact displays broader modifications in Washington
The Playing Fee says the proposed modification pulls collectively many provisions that already seem in different tribal gaming agreements around Washington, whereas additionally including some guidelines tailor-made particularly to the Squaxin Tribe. Underneath the deal, the Tribe can be allowed to introduce digital desk video games, prolong credit score to gamers, and raise per-casino limits on gaming units. It might additionally let gamers wager as much as $30 on tribal lottery terminals.
Betting limits would go up as properly, with desk video games permitting wagers of as much as $1,000, and a small variety of tables in a position to supply bets as excessive as $5,000 for purchasers who’ve been screened and authorized. The settlement additionally updates how the Tribe contributes to emergency providers, authorities operations, and nonprofit and charitable teams. On the general public well being facet, it will require a non-smoking room if smoking is allowed elsewhere within the on line casino and strengthen responsible-gaming guidelines round employees coaching, self-exclusion applications, signage, and player-set betting limits.
The tentative deal now heads into a proper approval course of that features state lawmakers, regulators, tribal leaders, and the federal authorities. Notices have already gone out to the Governor, the Legislature, and different events. The Senate Enterprise, Monetary Providers and Commerce Committee is about to carry a public listening to on January 21, 2026, adopted by a Home State Authorities and Tribal Relations Committee listening to on February 10.
The Playing Fee is predicted to vote on February 12 on whether or not to ship the modification to the Governor. If it clears that step, it will then go to Chairman Kris Peters for ultimate tribal approval and signature, and after that to the Governor. If each log off, the settlement can be despatched to the U.S. Division of the Inside for federal evaluation and, if authorized, publication within the Federal Register.
The Squaxin Island deal follows related tentative agreements the Fee reached with different Washington tribes in late 2025. In December, regulators introduced updated compacts with the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe and the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, each of which might permit digital desk video games, with the Higher Skagit deal additionally together with modifications to smoking guidelines at its on line casino.
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