• About Us / Contact
  • Responsible Gambling
This site contains commercial content
SportsHandle
  • US Sports Betting
    • Arizona
    • Colorado
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Kentucky
    • Louisiana
    • Maryland
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • New Jersey
    • New York
    • North Carolina
    • Ohio
    • Pennsylvania
    • Tennessee
    • Virginia
  • Pending States
    • California
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Missouri
  • Canada
    • Ontario
    • British Columbia
    • Alberta
  • Sportsbook Apps
    • FanDuel Sportsbook Promo Code
    • BetMGM Bonus Code
    • Bet365 Bonus Code
    • Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code
    • ESPN BET Promo Code
    • Fanatics Sportsbook Promo Code
    • BetRivers Promo Code
  • Tools
    • Sportsbook Bonuses Explained
    • Sports Betting Revenue Tracker
    • Sports Betting Podcasts
    • Partnership Tracker
    • Expected Value
    • Sports Scores And Odds Apps
    • Sports Betting Twitter
  • News
No Result
View All Result
SportsHandle
  • US Sports Betting
    • Arizona
    • Colorado
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Kentucky
    • Louisiana
    • Maryland
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • New Jersey
    • New York
    • North Carolina
    • Ohio
    • Pennsylvania
    • Tennessee
    • Virginia
  • Pending States
    • California
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Missouri
  • Canada
    • Ontario
    • British Columbia
    • Alberta
  • Sportsbook Apps
    • FanDuel Sportsbook Promo Code
    • BetMGM Bonus Code
    • Bet365 Bonus Code
    • Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code
    • ESPN BET Promo Code
    • Fanatics Sportsbook Promo Code
    • BetRivers Promo Code
  • Tools
    • Sportsbook Bonuses Explained
    • Sports Betting Revenue Tracker
    • Sports Betting Podcasts
    • Partnership Tracker
    • Expected Value
    • Sports Scores And Odds Apps
    • Sports Betting Twitter
  • News
No Result
View All Result
SportsHandle
No Result
View All Result

Wash. St. Sports Betting Researcher Talks Black Market Migration, Mobile Revenue

Gambling commission forwards WSU study to state legislature for review

Mike Seely by Mike Seely
November 16, 2021
in Regulation
Shutterstock

Shutterstock

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

About one of 20 adults in Washington state apparently bets on sports on at least a monthly basis.

That nugget was part of information shared at Tuesday’s meeting of the Washington State Gambling Commission, where interim Director Tina Griffin presented findings from a recent survey. The study was conducted by Dr. Kahlil Philander, an assistant professor at Washington State University’s Everett campus who appeared via videoconference.

The study, which has yet to be published and was unanimously approved for presentation to the state legislature, explored Washingtonians’ attitudes toward sports betting, as well as the potential impact of its various legal forms on the state’s economy.

At the forefront of the study — and Griffin’s presentation — was a survey of more than 1,000 Washingtonians, only 5% of whom said they bet on sports once a month or more. The other 95% said they bet “never/less than once a month.”

Of those who said they wagered on athletic events, half said they did so through office pools, the vast majority of which presumably involve the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. Another 27% said they bet through retail sportsbooks, while 17% replied that they bet via mobile phones or online, and another 5% said they wagered through private bookies.

While “mobile” wagering is legal in Washington so long as it’s restricted to tribal properties, no tribe has launched it yet — and only the Snoqualmie Tribe has opened a retail sportsbook. (Washington’s sports betting industry is fully controlled by Native American tribes, which pay no gaming taxes to the state.) Hence, it’s fair to surmise that a good portion of the bets in Washington state are currently being placed outside of legal channels.

Technically, this illicit wagering includes all those March Madness office pools, which compelled the WSGC’s vice chair, Julia Patterson, to ask Philander how much of that action might move to regulated sportsbooks now that the state has them.

Sign Up For The Sports Handle Newsletter!
I also want to receive information and offers about online sportsbooks (eg. odds boost, welcome offers)

“When we look at migration to the legal market, a lot of that comes from having a comparable product,” he replied. “To the extent that there are viable, legal alternatives that can effectively substitute for the illegal activity, you can expect that much of that activity will transition. It’s not obvious to me that something like a March Madness pool would move over the same as somebody using an offshore bookie.”

No ‘comparable product’ in Washington state

“A comparable product” is something that Washington state — which only allows the on-site mobile, requires in-person registration, and prohibits betting on in-state colleges — currently lacks when pitted against its black-market rivals. But Philander’s study took a look at what the state’s market might look like if it moved in a more progressive, digital direction — and it will be interesting to see how the state legislature reacts to his findings, both in the short and long term.

This will come as no surprise to anyone who knows anything about how legal sports betting markets have fared in the U.S. since PASPA was repealed, but if Washington were to allow for fully mobile registration and wagering, it would exponentially increase related job growth and gross economic gains statewide. As for market maturity, Philander projects that Washington state would top out at $93.8 million in operator revenue with its current mix of retail and on-site mobile. But if Washington were to go fully mobile, the study said that figure could grow to $321.5 million — $42.2 million of which would be retail.

While the WSU study did not cover how the expansion of legal sports betting might impact problem gambling, Rep. Shelley Kloba asked Philander for his personal views on the correlation.

“I think the United States is going through probably the biggest change it’s ever seen in terms of the normalization of gambling in society and within our culture,” he replied during the meeting. “What’s become normative now is everybody’s seeing ads for gambling on TV, social media. … You’re seeing all of these significant organizations with significant reach now engaging in this betting activity. Not only that, but we’re also seeing that sports betting is not an end unto itself, but also a [path] into higher-margin online gambling. 

“From a problem gambling standpoint, I think it’s unclear what the net impact could be,” Philander continued. “If gambling also, in some ways, comes out of the shadows and there is a greater understanding of the risks, perhaps there will be an adaptation effect where people will start to understand this activity because it’s much more front of mind.”

ShareTweetShare
Mike Seely

Mike Seely

Mike Seely has written about horse racing for The Daily Racing Form and America’s Best Racing, and has contributed pieces on a multitude of topics to The New York Times and Los Angeles Times, among other publications. He can be reached on Twitter (@mdseely) or via email at [email protected].

This site contains commercial content. We may be compensated for the links provided on this page. The content on this page is for informational purposes only.

Related Posts

fanduel promo code design with luis arraez of marlins
Promotions

FanDuel Promo Code: Get $200 in Ohio, NY, Mass., MD & Other States; Get $100 in Kentucky

September 20, 2023
Industry

New Sumsub Platform Allows Sportsbooks To Tackle Responsible Gambling

September 20, 2023
Load More

Top Stories

hard rock guitars hotel lobby

Mobile Sports Betting In Florida At Least A Few Weeks Away, And Probably Much More

September 19, 2023
Getty Images

Will Prohibet Provide One-Stop Shopping For Detection Of Sports Betting Infractions?

September 14, 2023
have-a-game-plan-bet-responsibly-screenshot

Bettors Know All About Responsible Gambling, But Most Don’t Use Tools

September 12, 2023
nfl logo football

Schuetz: Football Is Back — Forget Everything You Think You Know About Betting

September 6, 2023

State Sports Betting Guides

Sports Betting in Kentucky

Kentucky Sports Betting – Pre-Launch Offers & Best Legal Sportsbook Apps for 2023

by Dukes Wooters
September 19, 2023

Ohio (U.S. state) flag waving against clear blue sky, close up, isolated with clipping path mask alpha channel transparency, perfect for film, news, composition

Ohio Sports Betting – All Online Sportsbooks, Bonus Offers, and News 2023

by Brian Pempus
September 20, 2023

Downtown Detroit at twilight (Shutterstock)

Michigan Sports Betting – Where To Play, Online Sportsbooks, And FAQ

by Brett Smiley
September 6, 2023

VA captial

Virginia Sports Betting – Where To Play, Online Sportsbooks And Bonus Offers

by Brett Smiley
September 1, 2023

nj flag

New Jersey Sports Betting — Where To Play, Online Sportsbooks, And FAQ

by Brett Smiley
September 6, 2023

Canada Sports Betting Guides

Canada Sports Betting – Best Sportsbook Apps 2023

British Columbia Sports Betting – Legal Update, Available Sportsbooks, and FAQ

Ontario Sports Betting – Legal Status And Where To Play

SportsHandle

  • Analysis
  • Casino
  • Features
  • Horse Racing
  • Industry
  • Legal
  • Legislation
  • Lottery
  • Opinion
  • Podcasts
  • Poker
  • Politics
  • Promotions
  • Regulation
  • Sports
  • Uncategorized

Better Collective

This website is owned and operated by Better Collective USA. Trademarks and copyrights referenced on this website are and shall remain the exclusive property of their respective owners and/or licensors. Please be sure to visit the operator’s website(s) to review their terms & conditions. We advise you to read these carefully as they contain important information. Copyright © 2023 USBets.com | Better Collective USA
21 Play Responsibly
Gamble Aware West Virginia
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
GameSense

Search Sports Handle

No Result
View All Result
  • About Us / Contact
  • Responsible Gambling

No Result
View All Result
  • US Sports Betting
    • Arizona
    • Colorado
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Kentucky
    • Louisiana
    • Maryland
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • New Jersey
    • New York
    • North Carolina
    • Ohio
    • Pennsylvania
    • Tennessee
    • Virginia
  • Pending States
    • California
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Missouri
  • Canada
    • Ontario
    • British Columbia
    • Alberta
  • Sportsbook Apps
    • FanDuel Sportsbook Promo Code
    • BetMGM Bonus Code
    • Bet365 Bonus Code
    • Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code
    • ESPN BET Promo Code
    • Fanatics Sportsbook Promo Code
    • BetRivers Promo Code
  • Tools
    • Sportsbook Bonuses Explained
    • Sports Betting Revenue Tracker
    • Sports Betting Podcasts
    • Partnership Tracker
    • Expected Value
    • Sports Scores And Odds Apps
    • Sports Betting Twitter
  • News