Tulalip Resort Casino is one of 102 different tribal casinos, bingo halls, and poker rooms in the state of Washington.
Spectrum Gaming Group, a New Jersey based gaming consulting firm, has been hired by the Washington State Gambling Commission to study the gaming market in the Northwestern state. Spectrum Gaming’s report is expected by the late fall of 2016.
The Gambling Commission wants the study to focus on the effects of tribal, private, and non-profit gambling on the state. It is expected to take a look at current and potential revenues, as well as the likely employment figures and use of facilities in the state.
Spectrum Gaming’s research is expected to take months, because they must study, analyze, and project numbers for all 102 gambling businesses in the state. Some of Washington’s gambling locations are small, but others are expansive tribal resorts.
The gambling industry includes ocean-liners which act as casino cruises, as well as horse tracks for pari-mutuel wagers. Even excluding a couple of forms of gambling, the research is going to cover a lot of ground.
Study of Technology and Social Impact
The commission indicated it wants Spectrum Gaming to look at trends in the gambling industry, including technological advances, the effect of population growth on revenues, and the effect of the culture’s attitude towards gaming. The social impact of the proliferation of gambling is likely to be considered in the report.
Spectrum Gaming Group is expected to pay attention to developing forms of gambling, including online gambling and fantasy sports. Daily fantasy sports has become a hot-button topic for those discussing American gaming in the past year, so the DFS will be addressed in the study. Vertical niches like mobile gaming are a part of the study, too, so the Spectrum report is expected to be nearly comprehensive — though not entirely so.
Horse Racing and Lotto Gaming Excluded
Betting on horse racing and the lottery are to be excluded from the study. Horse racing is seen as a venerable form of betting in many parts of the United States, because it sustains a horse breeding and training industry. Equestrianism is also seen as a part of the American social fabric.
The state lottery is also sacrosanct, because it is a state-run business. Lotteries across the United States portray themselves as beneficial to the people, because the money is supposed to be earmarked for the education system.
Gambling Commissioner on the Study
Chris Stearns, the chairman of the Washington State Gambling Commission, said the report would be a key to framing future debates at the state-level.
Stearns said, “The results of this study will be a powerful economic tool for the state and tribes that will allow us to build on our success and help the state, businesses, tribes, and citizens guide economic growth with investment and with our values.”
Spectrum Gaming Group has worked in the gaming industry since the 1980s. It has produced reports for state agencies, gaming associations, and gaming companies since that time. Florida and Connecticut each commissioned Spectrum Gaming to study the potential of Native American gaming in those states; both studies were influential at the time.
Recently, Spectrum made a report on the ongoing dispute between the Wampanoag Indian tribe, the Plainridge Racetrack, and the Brockton group over the rival casino projects in southeastern Massachusetts.
Washington’s Gambling Industry
Washington has one of the largest gaming industries in the United States, with a total of 127 different legal gaming locations. This includes 102 land-based (non-racing) gambling venues, including tribal casinos, private card rooms, and charity bingo halls. These 102 venues are spread throughout 67 different Washington communities.
Washington also has 2 horse racing tracks: Emerald Downs in Auburn and Sun Downs in Kennewick. Besides those facilities, the state has 3 off-track betting facilities: A&C Tavern in Bremerton, Bud’s Pub in Centralia, and Irishtown Public House in Vancouver. Seattle is also home to 20 different casino cruise ships, including 14 cruise ships in the Holland America Line and 6 ships in the Windstar Cruises line.
