Washington Court Dismisses Maverick Gaming’s Sports Betting Lawsuit

A lawsuit filed by a gaming company that challenged the existing sports betting market established in Washington was recently dismissed.

Lawsuit Challenges Tribal-State Gaming Compacts

Washington was among the US states that legalized sports betting back in 2020. After the legalization in March 2020, legal retail sports betting launched the next year, in 2021, after Tribal casino operators implemented changes to their gaming compacts with the state. Per those compacts the Tribal operators were permitted to offer retail sports betting, in addition to their casino gambling activities.

This is precisely the issue that was flagged by one gaming company, Maverick Gaming, which filed a lawsuit. Initially, the company filed a lawsuit challenging the Tribal-state gaming compacts back in 2022. In its legal claim, Maverick Gaming alleged that the compacts violated the Indian Regulatory Gaming Act (IGRA), a law that governs gambling activities on Tribal lands, as well as the 10th Amendment and the Equal Protection Clause.

According to data from the Washington Gambling Commission, the state’s gambling regulator, currently, there are 23 federally recognized Tribes operating a total of 29 casinos under compacts with the state. In addition to class III gambling activities, the casinos offer retail sports betting and other games.

The Appeal by Maverick Gaming Was Recently Dismissed

Maverick Gaming’s lawsuit initially hit a snag after it was dismissed by the Western Washington District Court. At the time, the court explained that the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe, which was named by the plaintiff, couldn’t join the litigation.

This is because Tribal Nations across the country have sovereign status, which means that they have a separate judicial system, law enforcement and other agencies that govern activities particularly on Tribal Land. Due to this sovereign status, Tribal operators are protected and cannot be sued in state courts.

While Maverick Gaming attempted to appeal that decision, its appeal was recently denied, Legal Sports Report reveals. Reportedly, the gaming company’s appeal was dismissed by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals recently. That decision effectively reaffirmed the initial court’s ruling.

Still, the battle is far from over, as Maverick Gaming may turn to a higher court for a ruling. The company’s CEO, Eric Persson, reportedly confirmed the intention to take the matter to the Supreme Court.

Even if Maverick Gaming takes the matter to the higher court, this doesn’t guarantee a win in the legal battle. In a similar case from Florida, the Supreme Court upheld a 2021 gambling compact between the state and the Seminole Tribe, putting an end to a years-long legal dispute.