Maverick Gaming to Acquire Silverdale's All-Star Lanes in Washington State
Washington-based Maverick Gaming is expanding its collection of cardrooms in its home state, defying the competition by bidding victorious in front of Washington State Gambling Commission.
Following the recent groundbreaking success, Maverick’s request to raise the betting limit from $300 to $400 was accepted by the Washington State Gambling Commission with a 3-2 decision last week. Their request for a $500 limit per hand was rejected.
Currently, Maverick operates 22 cardrooms in the state of Washington. Soon, this number will escalate to 23, as they announced the acquisition of All-Star Lanes & Casino, located in the town of Silverdale.
Maverick Gaming CEO Eric Persson; speaking to the Kitsap Sun, said, “Securing the All-Star Lanes & Casino felt quite natural.” The cardroom is the only one in Kitsap County.
All-Star Lanes & Casino offers a 40-lane bowling alley, an arcade with around 50 games spanning 2,000 square feet, a diner, a coffee bar, and a bistro, expanding the multi-activity hub. The casino itself operates several table games, including blackjack, and five poker tables.
Growing Business
Persson voiced his motive behind acquiring the All-Star is multifold. Since 2019, Maverick has been in communication with the Myers family, who have been at the helm of the bowling center and cardroom for over three decades. However, due to the pandemic, the negotiations ceased. Nonetheless, they picked back up recently, culminating in the acquisition.
Persson anticipates no hiccups during the transition, with Maverick continuing the operations at All-Star. Nonetheless, changes are to be expected in the casino area.
He stated, “There could be a possibility of adding a dedicated poker room to the market, related to expanding poker opportunities, as well as the introduction of tournaments and a host of other promotions.”
Sport Betting Scuffle
Maverick's buoyancy over raising the cardroom betting limit is tempered by their ongoing legal battle against the sports betting monopoly held by the Native American tribes in Washington, per their Class III gaming compacts.
In February, District Judge Thomas Rice dismissed Maverick’s lawsuit, which included the U.S. Interior Department and Washington Governor Jay Inslee as defendants. The Interior Department's Bureau of Indian Affairs' responsibilities include reviewing and approving all state-tribal gaming compacts, making sure they don't contravene the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA).
Maverick Gaming appealed the decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Persson's legal representation asserts an inaccurate interpretation of a federal law that's currently being applied in favor of granting tribes exclusive rights to specific forms of gaming that are unavailable in commercial non-tribal properties.
Persson clarified their stance, saying "We unequivocally support and respect IGRA and its intention of fostering tribal fairness and autonomy. However, IGRA's purpose was to ensure parity between tribal and non-tribal gaming formats. Unfortunately, in Washington, this law has been warped to fend off competition, resulting in monopolies exclusive to certain gaming genres, which directly contradicts IGRA's goals.”
No set timeline for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ deliberation on the Maverick appeal has been disclosed.
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Source: www.casino.org
