Representatives of the Nooksack Indian Tribe and the Washington State Gambling Commission told the State Government & Tribal Relations Committee on Feb. 14 that the tribe seeks amendments to its tribal-state gaming compact to add an electronic table game appendix, add sports wagering and align certain operational provisions with more recent compacts negotiated by other tribes.

Tina Griffin, executive director of the Washington State Gambling Commission, described the compact-amendment process and said that once a tribe requests an amendment the commission negotiates with direction from state policymakers; the commission then notifies the Legislature and holds committee hearings before commissioners and ex officio members vote on whether to send the amendment to the governor. Griffin told the committee the commission reached tentative agreement with the Nooksack Tribe and that the commission’s next meeting is March 13, the 45th day after tentative agreement, at which commissioners and ex officios will vote on how to proceed.

Chairwoman Rosemary LeClaire of the Nooksack Indian Tribe described the tribe and the requested changes. The tribe operates Northwood Casino (a Class II facility) in Linden, Washington, and LeClaire explained the amendments would add an electronic table games appendix, add a sports-wagering appendix and change the compact’s age-limit provision to align with other tribal compacts that authorize participation at age 18 for certain gaming activities.

Griffin said that the electronic table games appendix is an appendix similar to one presented previously for the Stillaguamish Tribe and that, if approved, the Nooksack would be the eleventh tribe to add the electronic table games amendment. She said the sports-wagering appendix would make the Nooksack the 21st tribe to add sports wagering to its compact; the commission noted that while many tribes have authorized sports wagering, only a few currently offer on-premise mobile sports wagering and that operational rollout differs among tribes.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about age limits and the number of tribal casinos offering sports wagering. Griffin referenced state gambling statutes and explained that some state law provisions authorize gaming participation for persons 18 and older in specified circumstances; Griffin offered to provide committee members with a follow-up email listing how many tribes and facilities are currently offering sports wagering and which offer on-premise mobile sports wagering.

Griffin also summarized timing and next steps: the commission’s public meeting on March 13 will include a public comment period and is the commission’s statutory 45-day decision point following tentative agreement; if the commission approves forwarding the amendment, the governor will review and decide whether to approve, and if approved at the federal level the amendment becomes effective upon publication in the Federal Register. The commission provided a public-comment email address for submissions that will be shared with commissioners and ex officios.

No committee vote on the compact amendment was taken at the Feb. 14 hearing; the record shows the session moved to receive testimony and information for the commission’s consideration.