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They play for entertainment. fun. relaxation. social connection.

Hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians play social casino games on their phones every day. They do it for enjoyment and know that they will not win anything of real value. What’s played in the game stays in the game — no cash prizes, no payouts, no financial returns. When this is challenged, Play On WA seeks to educate and explain the widespread value of the games and the industry that develops them.

Read our position

Helping Washington Understand Social Casino Games.

Play On WA represents the developers, publishers, and players of social casino games, a subset of free-to-play entertainment enjoyed by more than 150,000 people across Washington State each month.

Our members adhere to the International Social Games Association’s independently developed standards for player protection.

ISGA Best Practice Principles

Crucially, players know and understand they’re playing for enjoyment, not financial gain. We believe our games are designed and understood as entertainment.

You cannot cash out.

You cannot win money.

You just play for fun.

This is the fundamental distinction between real-money gambling and social casino games.

Washington law has historically recognized
this difference.

With implications not just for social casino games, but for the wider mobile gaming ecosystem.

Social Casino Games Are Free-to-Play Entertainment:

Don’t judge a game by its appearance, or the name of its genre. Social casino games are a subset of free-to-play entertainment, played for fun by millions of adults globally, by adults, for fun.

  1. Free to play

    Games can be downloaded and played without payment. No purchase is required to participate.

  2. No financial return

    Virtual currencies have no real-world value. They cannot be cashed out, transferred, or exchanged.

  3. Optional purchases

    Most players never spend a cent.

  4. Adult audience

    Social casino games are played by adults. While interactive entertainment is enjoyed throughout the world by billions of players of all ages, social casino games have found their audience, and it’s a grown-up one.

Regulating Responsibly in a Mobile First World.

An interpretation of existing law that renders social casino games illegal also means that many non-casino themed mobile games are at risk of being deemed illegal if they:

  • Use virtual currency
  • Allow continued play through that currency
  • Offer optional in-app purchases

Our Framework for Player Protection

Play On WA believes social casino games should be built on five core principles, protections that respect player wellbeing without undermining legitimate entertainment.

  • Fair design standards

    Prohibiting deceptive or manipulative practices, and design that respects player wellbeing.

  • Full spending transparency

    Clear, informed purchase decisions with upfront pricing, and no hidden costs buried behind game mechanics.

  • Player spending controls

    Letting players set their own limits and stay in control of how much they spend.

  • Effective self-exclusion tools

    Enabling players to step away whenever they choose.

  • Consumer recourse

    Clear routes for addressing complaints, refund requests, and disputes, handled by accountable operators.

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