About Us
Agency Overview Brochure
PDF Document
Washington State Gambling Commission
P.O. Box 42400
Olympia, WA 98504
360-486-3440
360-486-3629 (fax)
The Washington State Gambling Commission (WSGC) is the second oldest gambling regulatory agency in the nation. The Legislature created the WSGC in 1973 after a series of gambling related scandals.
Five citizens are appointed by the Governor, with the consent of the Senate, to act as part-time Commissioners, for a single six-year term. Once appointed, a Commissioner can only be removed for cause by a subcommittee appointed by the Chief of the Supreme Court. This structure ensures the Commission maintains an arm’s length distance from the political structure.
The Commission appoints a director, who appoints agency staff. Of the 157 full-time positions authorized, about 85 are commissioned law enforcement officers, responsible for enforcing the gambling laws.
John Ellis - Seattle
Commission Chair
Kelsey Gray - Spokane
Margarita Prentice - Renton
Chris Stearns
John Ellis - SEATTLE
February 10, 2005 through June 30, 2013
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Commissioner Ellis retired from the Attorney General’s Office after 28 years and served as a Deputy Director for the Attorney General. He has practiced in his own law firm since 2001. |
Chair
Mike Amos - SELAH
September 19, 2008 through June 30, 2014
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Commissioner Amos retired from the Yakima Police Department as a Patrol Sergeant after 37 years of duty. He is involved with the Washington State Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police. |
Vice-Chair
Kelsey Gray, PhD - SPOKANE
January 23, 2012 through June 30, 2017
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Commissioner Gray works for the William D. Ruckelshaus Center and is a Certified Financial Manager. She has worked with profit and nonprofit organizations, tribes, law enforcement organizations, and local, state, and federal governments. |
Senator Margarita Prentice - SEATTLE
August 1, 2012 through June 30, 2018
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Commissioner Prentice retired after 24 years as a Senator in the Washington State Legislature and 18 years as an Ex-Officio member on the Gambling Commission. She is also a retired registered nurse, having worked for 30 years in a wide variety of positions. |
Chris Stearns - SEATTLE
May 1, 2013 through June 30, 2015
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Commissioner Stearns is an attorney specializing in Indian law and is also the current Chairman of the Seattle Human Rights Commission. He previously served four years as Counsel to the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources and was the first-ever Director of Indian Affairs for the U.S. Department of Energy. |
