Gambling Bans
Cities and counties may prohibit any or all gambling activities, but may not change the scope of activities allowed by a gambling license.
Since house-banked card rooms were introduced in 1997, approximately 70 jurisdictions have banned card rooms. Local governments can specify which type of card room (house-banked, poker and/or charitable/non-profit) they want to ban in their local ordinance.
Authority to zone card rooms in certain areas, and allow existing card rooms but prohibit new ones (grandfathering) has been the subject of much debate and several lawsuits. There have also been several public votes about whether card rooms should be allowed in particular cities.
The Commission’s interpretation of the law is that local governments can only “absolutely prohibit” gambling activities; therefore, zoning, partial bans, and some of the other partial approaches are not allowed.
For your convenience, we’ve compiled a list of cities and counties where some or all gambling activities are prohibited. For the most up-to-date information on ordinances, please contact jurisdictions directly.
If you represent a city, county or town and would like to inform us of changes in your gambling code, please complete our online form.
Cities Prohibiting Gambling Activities
| City |
Code |
Restriction/Information Type |
|---|---|---|
|
Algona |
1701 |
Zoning Restrictions: All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Almira |
2201 |
Zoning Restrictions: All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Arlington |
3101 |
Zoning Restrictions: Card Rooms |
|
Auburn |
1702 |
New Commercial Cardrooms, effective 07/05/99: Grandfathered 06/07/1999 |
|
Battle Ground |
0601 |
Commercials cardrooms; Nonprofit cardrooms that charge fees. 11/02/1987 |
|
Beaux Arts |
1703 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Bellevue |
1704 |
Commercial Card Rooms 01/14/1993 |
|
Bingen |
2001 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Blaine |
3702 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Bonney Lake |
2701 |
Commercial Card Rooms 05/19/1999 |
|
Bothell |
1706 |
Zoning Restriction for Bingo: Commercials & Nonprofit Card Rooms effective 2000; similar in working to 1984 version |
|
Bridgeport |
901 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Brier |
3102 |
Punchboards and Pull-Tabs; Commercial & Nonprofit Card Rooms |
|
Buckley |
2702 |
Zoning Restrictions for Amusement Games |
|
Burien |
1734 |
Commercial Card Rooms, effective 06/21/99, by specifically prohibiting in all zones; Social card games are specifically prohibited in all zones. |
|
Burlington |
2902 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Camas |
0602 |
Commercial Card Rooms, 1975 |
|
Carnation |
1707 |
Commercial Card Rooms, 1999 |
|
Cashmere |
401 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Chelan |
0402 |
Commercial Card Rooms, 2000 |
|
Clyde Hill |
1708 |
Commercial & Nonprofit Card Rooms, 1974: Zoning Restrictions all other activities |
|
Cosmopolis |
1402 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Covington |
1712 |
Commercial Card Rooms, 10/1998 |
|
Dayton |
701 |
Zoning Restrictions: None of the zones within the City of Dayton code allow gambling as either a permitted, accessory, nor conditional use. While not prohibited, it is currently not allowed by the zoning code. |
|
Des Moines |
1709 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Dupont |
2704 |
Commercial & Nonprofit Card Rooms, 1999: Zoning Restrictions all other activities |
|
Duvall |
1710 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
East Wenatchee |
902 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Edgewood |
2720 |
NO Commercial Card Rooms, 02/11/2003 |
|
Edmonds |
3104 |
Commercial Card Rooms, 09/29/2000 |
|
Ellensburg |
1902 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Entiat |
403 |
Zoning Restrictions on Commercial & Nonprofit Card Rooms |
|
Enumclaw |
1711 |
Commercial & Nonprofit Card Rooms, 02/03/1999 |
|
Ephrata |
1303 |
NO gambling in pool halls. EMC 5.24.040 |
|
Everett |
3105 |
NEW Card Rooms in Everett Station, 04/09/2003: NO "mini" Casino; Grandfathered existing; Zoning restrictions for NEW cardrooms, 09/26/2003 |
|
Everson |
3703 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Federal Way |
1732 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Fife |
2706 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Fircrest |
2707 |
NO NEW Card Rooms 11/01/2001; Grandfathered, existing |
|
Forks |
501 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Gig Harbor |
2708 |
Commercial Card Rooms, 07/18/1999: Zoning Restrictions all other activities |
|
Grandview |
3901 |
House-Banked Card Room; Commercial Bingo; Unlicensed Bingo less than $5,000 Grandfathered: Zoning Restrictions: All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Granite Falls |
3107 |
NO GAMBLING: City code Chapter 19.03 |
|
Hoquiam |
1404 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Ilwaco |
2501 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Issaquah |
1714 |
Commercial Card Rooms, Amusement games, 1977; (crane Amusement Grandfathered, 05/21/2012 |
|
Kelso |
803 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Kenmore |
1738 |
Commercial Card Rooms, 12/29/2005 |
|
Kent |
4257 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Kirkland |
1716 |
Commercial Card Rooms, 1999; Zoning Restrictions all other activities |
|
La Center |
0603 |
Parking lot development must be onsite, 07/21/1999 |
|
Lacey |
3402 |
NEW cardrooms, 12/02/1999; (18-24 months allowed for one to build and open) |
|
Lake Forest Park |
1717 |
Punch board and Pull-Tabs, Commercial & Nonprofit Card Rooms and Fund Raising Events; Bingo for which a license is required, 06/27/2000; Re-affirmed 06/27/2000, when 60-day moratorium expired without changing 1995 ordinance |
|
Lake Stevens |
3106 |
House-Banked Card Room, 10/12/1999: Commercial Card Rooms, LSMC# 4.60.010, Ord# 812 effective 10/12/09. |
|
Lakewood |
2721 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Leavenworth |
404 |
Conduct or operation of social card games as commercial stimulants by profit seeking organizations, as defined in WAC 230-04-203, license type card games, Class E and Class F, as the same now exists or may hereafter be amended |
|
Liberty Lake |
3212 |
NO Casino's: Zoning Restrictions all other activities |
|
Long Beach |
2502 |
NO Casino's: Zoning Restrictions all other activities |
|
Longview |
804 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Lynden |
3705 |
Punch board and Pull-Tabs, Commercial & Nonprofit Card Rooms; for profit Amusement games, 02/18/1975 |
|
Lynnwood |
3110 |
Commercial Card Rooms, 1998 |
|
McCleary |
1405 |
No amusement devices located on the premises shall be used as a gambling device. The playing of extra games shall not be deemed gambling, but it is unlawful to exchange or transfer such free games for any money or other |
|
Maple Valley |
1720 |
Commercial Card Games, 12/09/2012 |
|
Mercer Island |
1719 |
Punch board and Pull-Tabs, Commercial Card Rooms, 1991 |
|
Mill Creek |
3119 |
Commercial cardrooms, 01/01/1998 |
|
Milton |
2709 |
Commercial & Nonprofit Card Rooms 09/14/1999 |
|
Monroe |
3112 |
Commercial Card Rooms, 07/06/2008 |
|
Moses Lake |
1309 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Mountlake Terrace |
3113 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Mount Vernon |
2907 |
Zoning Retractions for Commercial and Nonprofit Card Room |
|
Moxee |
3905 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Mukilteo |
3114 |
Commercial & Nonprofit Card Rooms 05/10/1999 |
|
Newcastle |
1736 |
Commercial & Nonprofit Card Rooms; Commercial Punch board and Pull-Tabs, 05/04/1999 |
|
Newport |
2605 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Nooksack |
3706 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Normandy Park |
1721 |
ALL GAMBLING: Exceptions, (1) Commercial Punch board and Pull-Tabs, or (2) Nonprofit activities |
|
North Bend |
1722 |
Commercial & Nonprofit Card Rooms, 05/06/2008 |
|
Oak Harbor |
1074 |
Zoning Restrictions; Gambling Prohibited at Amusement Arcades |
|
Oroville |
2408 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Pateros |
2409 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Port Angeles |
502 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Port Orchard |
1802 |
Commercial House-Banked Card Rooms, 08/13/2001 |
|
Port Townsend |
1601 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Poulsbo |
1803 |
ALL GAMBLING PROHIBITED |
|
Prescott |
3602 |
ALL GAMBLING PROHIBITED |
|
Prosser |
303 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Pullman |
3812 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Puyallup |
2711 |
Commercial Card Rooms, 06/30/1999 |
|
Quincy |
1310 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Rainier |
3404 |
Commercial Punchboards and Pull-Tabs and Commercial Card Rooms (RMC# 9.28.030, Ord#480), effective 09/27/02 |
|
Redmond |
1724 |
NO Punch boards; Commercial Card Rooms, 05/15/1999 |
|
Renton |
1725 |
Zoning Restrictions for Card Rooms, 12/10/1997 |
|
Richland |
0304 |
Zoning Restrictions; House-Banked Card Room Moratorium (Ord#3-02), from 03/05/02. Zoning criteria (RMC#23.06.305, 23.70.025, Ord#22-02), from 08/12/02: 500 ft. from residential zones, any public/private K-12 school, public playground/park existing at time of application. |
|
Ridgefield |
0604 |
Commercial Public Card Rooms, 1987 |
|
Rock Island |
904 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Sammamish |
1739 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
SeaTac |
1733 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Seattle |
1726 |
Commercial Card Rooms, 10/02/1974 |
|
Snohomish |
3115 |
Commercial House-Banked Card Rooms, effective September 2014. Commercial Amusement Games, except for occasional community- wide annual event, effective 2013. Bingo/Raffles, if over City’s number of sessions or dollar limits. Raffle, if over $1 per ticket. |
|
Snoqualmie |
1728 |
Commercial Card Rooms (SMC#5.24.010, Ord#415), effective 1974 |
|
Soap Lake |
1312 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Stanwood |
3116 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Stevenson |
3002 |
Zoning Restrictions; Criminal Code went through a detailed update in 2013 and adopts be reference many provisions from RCW Titles 9 and 9A. Neither RCW 9.46 nor 9.47 are locally adopted. |
|
Sultan |
3117 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Sumas |
3707 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Sumner |
2716 |
Commercial Card Rooms and Commercial Amusement Games (SMC#5.41 & 5.42), effective 04/12/2000. Exempts members-only nonprofit activity from prohibition, per RCW 9.46.0311 |
|
Sunnyside |
3908 |
Prior moratorium on new or expanded Card Rooms, from 06/03-/2002. House-Banked Commercial Card Rooms (SMC#5.16.020, Ord#2047), effective 11/30/2002 [type 67] |
|
Tacoma |
2717 |
Commercial Card Rooms (TMC#8.36, Ord#26515), effective 10/051999. Card Rooms operating before 04/06/1999 moratorium may continue to 01/01/2006. Grandfathered to 01/01/06, then prohibited. |
|
Tonasket |
2411 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Tukwila |
1729 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Tumwater |
3406 |
Commercial House-Banked Card Rooms (TMC#3.04.015, Ord#2000-014), effective 06/06/2000 |
|
Union Gap |
3911 |
Zoning Restrictions: 17.09.130 - Special requirements for social gambling establishments. No "social gambling establishment" shall be permitted within five hundred (500) feet of any public school, private school (meeting the |
|
University Place |
2719 |
Commercial and Nonprofit Card Rooms (UPMC#9.40.010, Ord#245), effective 1999 |
|
Vancouver |
0605 |
Commercial Card Rooms (VMC#5.58.020, Ord#2366), took effect 01/01/1985 |
|
Waitsburg |
3603 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Walla Walla |
3604 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Washougal |
0606 |
Commercial Card Rooms (Ord#818), effective 1983. [type 65 & 67] |
|
Wenatchee |
0405 |
House-Banked Card Rooms (Ord#2001-26), passed 09/2001. [type 67] |
|
Westport |
1408 |
Zoning Restrictions: Commercial Bingo and Raffles; House-Banked card games |
|
West Richland |
305 |
Commercial Card Rooms |
|
Woodinville |
1735 |
Commercial and Nonprofit Card Rooms (WMC#5.06.080, Ord#12), effective 03/31/1993 |
|
Yacolt |
0607 |
Commercial and Nonprofit Card Rooms (only exception is that non-house-banked Class D card rooms are allowed); Fund-Raising Events; (Ord#451), effective 06/04/2007. |
|
Yakima |
3913 |
Zoning Restrictions. Commercial Card Rooms not permitted within 500 ft. of public/private schools, churches, parks (YMC Title 15, see 15.02.020, Ord#2002-53), effective 12-1-02. Plus, City's Class 3 Review for zoning, effective 1-12-03. |
|
Yelm |
3407 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
Zillah |
3914 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
Counties Prohibiting Gambling Activities
| County | Code | Prohibited Gambling Activities | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Clark |
0600 |
Public Cardrooms: See table of cities for individuals prohibitions |
|
|
Grant |
1300 |
Zoning code does not currently have provisions to allow card rooms or casinos, or other similar uses. If one was proposed, they would have to issue an administrative interpretation to determine if the use would be consistent |
|
|
Kitsap |
1800 |
Zoning Restrictions All gambling activity MUST be within the commercial zone of the city |
|
|
Mason |
2300 |
Social Card Games Prohibited (Ord. 147A-02-1(part), 2002). |
|
|
Pierce |
2700 |
New Commercial Cardrooms, voted on 07/13/1999: Grandfathered until 08/15/2002: Commercial Card Game ban, as of 10/15/2002 |
|
|
Skamania |
3000 |
Commercial Cardrooms, except within establishments licensed by WSGC to sell Pull-Tabs |
|
|
Thurston |
3400 |
Prior moratorium 11/29/1999 Commercial Cardrooms, effective 05/22/2000 |
|
|
Walla Walla |
3600 |
Zoning Restrictions; however, NO gambling-specific or card room specific regulations; Land uses that are not listed in the code are subject to a director’s interpretation utilizing the criteria under County Code 17.16.013; so certain |
|