Casino CEO Continues War Against State Of Washington

Washington’s legal betting scene is relatively quiet. Gambling is mostly run by Native-American tribes in the region, and that’s that. Top mobile betting apps have partnerships with some casinos to offer sports betting, but it all has to be done on local land — you can’t be in downtown Seattle betting on the DraftKings app.

These tribes also aren’t obligated to report their income like other states are. Thus, no one really knows how much or how little the tribal casinos are making off legalized sports betting and casino play.

It seems the only news that comes out of Washington involves Maverick Gaming. They are a casino company, and they have been open about their disdain for the current set-up in the state of Washington. Welp, they’re once again barking up that tree — and this time, it’s the CEO that’s yapping. Keep on reading, and we’ll tell you what’s going on in the northwest.

Maverick CEO Lashes Out At Washington Betting Industry

Eric Persson CEO

Eric Persson is the CEO of Maverick Gambling, and he’s not your average CEO. He’s part high-stakes poker player, part casino CEO, and 100% committed to calling out what he sees as a broken system. On multiple occasions, Persson has kicked and screamed that the state unfairly tilts the playing field in favor of tribal casinos. This time, he’s taking his message straight to state regulators.

At a May 8 meeting of the Washington State Gambling Commission, Persson and a crew of card room operators showed up to speak. Their message was simple: the commission plays favorites — and they’re the clear underdogs. They pointed to double standards around the state’s self-exclusion list, where players banned from card rooms can still gamble freely at tribal casinos.

Persson didn’t stop there, though. He also accused two commissioners — Anders Ibsen and Michael Charles — of having financial ties to tribes they’re supposed to regulate. Ibsen is running for mayor and has taken donations from tribal gaming groups. Charles, Persson alleges, has never voted in favor of a single proposal that would benefit card rooms.

“Commissioner Charles and Ibsen are political appointees who have documented financial interests with tribal nations in our state that are business competitors of Maverick Gaming,” he noted. “Their actions are deliberately disadvantageous to real jobs and a regulated business like any other in our home state.”

Of course, as CEO, Persson has a financial interest in all this. Maverick owns a whopping 24 card rooms and casinos in Washington — all of which are direct competitors of the native-run operations. For all the reasons above, Persson said he’d be dropping an ethics complaint with the attorney general’s office over his concerns, and others too.

More Criticism Falls On The Tribes

Persson didn’t show up to the meeting alone. The fellow card room owners who attended voiced similar concerns.

The mic-drop moment was one it was mentioned that Washington previously had about 100 card rooms, around the time they were first legalized. Now there are fewer than 40. That drop off, according to them, is due to the one-sided treatment they’re receiving from some state regulators.

The betting business is already tough to crack in Washington. Sure, casinos are legal, but little else. There’s no sweepstakes, and only the tribes are allowed to offer sports betting. This exclusivity became another point of contention at the meeting. Not only does the exclusivity undermine other operators, but it keeps the offshore gambling industry afloat.

Anecdotally, we know that to be true. Offshore sportsbooks are wildly popular because it allows bettors to bet anywhere and everywhere. That’s more convenient than driving to a native casino, which more often than not, are in less populated parts of the state. Of course, this offshore use means less tax revenue for the state.

Maverick Has Clashed With The State Before

This isn’t Persson’s first clash with the state either. Back in 2022, Maverick Gaming sued over that tribal exclusivity in sports betting. It was a back-and-forth battle before the courts dismissed the lawsuit, thus giving a big blow to Maverick.

So far, it seems this meeting appearance will lead Persson to the same place: nowhere. During the fiasco, Commission Vice Chair Sarah Lawson fought back against the dissidents. She said to take their complaints up with the governor. That brings us to another roadblock: Governor Jay Inslee. While he hasn’t been as vocal as some other governors, he’s shown little interest in shaking up the current system. And with tribal gaming wielding serious influence in Washington, that’s not likely to change anytime soon.

At the end of the day, this is bigger than one meeting or one complaint. This is about years of tension between tribal and non-tribal gaming, between the haves and have-nots in a tightly regulated industry.

What happens next is anyone’s guess. There’s now a formal ethics complaint filed with the state attorney general. Maybe it moves the needle. Maybe it doesn’t. But one thing’s certain — Persson isn’t going anywhere. And neither is the fight. Be sure to check back here for more updates as we get them cause this story is here to stay.

Eric Uribe

Eric is a man of many passions, but chief among them are sports, business, and creative expressions. He's combined these three to cover the world of betting at MyTopSportsbooks in the only way he can. Eric is a resident expert in the business of betting. That's why you'll see Eric report on legalization efforts, gambling revenues, innovation, and the move...

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