Report changes to your license or permit

Learn what changes to your gambling license or permit are required to be reported and when. Some changes require prior approval. Find information about ownership changes and what applications to submit.

Adding a new activity to your current gambling license

If you already have an active gambling license with us and would like to add a new activity, learn how to add a new activity.

What changes you must report

Visit the Washington State Legislature site to see all the rules that govern reporting changes (apps.leg.wa.gov).

How to report changes

How you must report changes to us depends on which change you're reporting.

Email

You can report the following changes by email to us at Licensing@wsgc.wa.gov:

  • Mailing address (physical address must be changed by mail or online application)
  • Arrest or changes to criminal history
  • Civil and administrative actions
  • New or updated loans or capital contributions over $10,000, except from a bank or credit union
  • Additional warehouses
  • New or amended Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws
  • New or updated contracts or agreements (premises leases)
  • Divorce, marital status
  • IRS tax deductible status
  • Business structure changes
  • Changes due to death, incapacity, receivership, bankruptcy, or assignment for the benefit of creditors
  • Change in licensed or unlicensed gambling manager employment status (charitable and nonprofit organizations).

Online

If you are registered for SecureAccess Washington (SAW), you can report the following changes online:

Individuals

  • Name change
  • Mailing or physical address change.

Organizations

  • Employee name / address change
  • Adding or relinking a gaming employee
  • Licensed card room employee employment status change
  • Submit a Personnel Termination Notice (PTN)
  • Management (officer, director) change
  • Manager (raffle, punch board / pull-tab, bingo, card room manager) change
  • One bingo occasion change (requires prior approval)
  • Physical address change (requires prior approval)
  • Fund-Raising Event (FRE) / Recreational Gaming Activity (RGA) date, time, or location change (requires 10 days advance notice).

To report changes to your license or permit online, follow the steps below

  1. Log into SAW (secureaccess.wa.gov)
  2. Go to your Washington State Gambling Commission (WSGC) ‘MyAccount’
  3. Depending on what you are changing, choose Employee, Licensing, or Account Setting tab to report changes to your license.

Learn how to register for SAW.

By mail

  • Management (officer, director) change
  • Manager (raffle, punch board / pull-tab, bingo, card room manager) change
  • One bingo occasion change (requires prior approval)
  • Physical address change (requires prior approval)
  • FRE / RGA date, time, or location change (requires 10 days advance notice).

Follow the steps below to submit your change

  1. Complete the Request for Consent to Change application (PDF, 250 KB)
  2. Mail the completed application along with the appropriate fee.

Make sure you use the correct mailing address based on the carrier you're using:

For US Mail (No UPS or FedEx)

Washington State Gambling Commission
PO Box 42400
Olympia WA 98504-2400

For UPS, FedEx, and overnight packages

Washington State Gambling Commission
4565 7th Avenue SE
Lacey WA 98503

License reporting requirements

Use this information to assist with your reporting timelines. Do not use this table in place of the Washington Administrative Codes (WAC) cited below. Remember, applicants are responsible for knowing and following all WAC and Revised Codes of Washington (RCW).

Post-licensure

 

WAC Reference

10 Days

30 Days

Other

Information required under commission rules

WAC 230-03-085(8)

 

X

Or within the timeframe we provide

Conducting underage compliance test programs with minors

WAC 230-06-012

 

 

Before conducting the test

Changes to any information filed with application (original or renewal)

WAC 230-06-080(1)

 

X

 

Changes to information on original or renewal application, to include but not limited to

 

 

    
  • Articles of incorporation or bylaws, or any other documents which set out the organizational structure and purposes; and

WAC 230-06-080(2)

 

X

 
  • Oral and written contracts and agreements which relate to gambling activities or alter the organizational structure of the licensee’s organization or business activities in Washington; and

WAC 230-06-080(2)

 

X

 
  • All cash or asset contributions, draws from lines of credit, and loans (except those from recognized financial institutions) during any calendar year which by themselves or totaled together are more than $10,000. Cash or asset contributions do not include donations to licensed charitable or nonprofit organizations; and

WAC 230-06-080(2)

 

X

 
  • Internal Revenue Service tax deductible status of contributions for charitable and nonprofit organizations.

WAC 230-06-080(2)

 

X

 

Termination of employees

WAC 230-06-082

WAC 230-06-083

X

 

 

Criminal actions

WAC 230-06-085

 

X

 

Civil and administrative actions to include, but not limited to

 

 

 

 
  • Actions filed against them by other gambling regulatory agencies, including those from other countries and Indian Tribes, and

WAC 230-06-090

  

X

  
  • Divorces, and

WAC 230-06-090

  

X

  
  • Bankruptcy, and

WAC 230-06-090

  

X

  
  • Tax liens, and

WAC 230-06-090

  

X

  
  • Business dissolutions, and

WAC 230-06-090

  

X

  
  • Patent infringement on gambling equipment.

WAC 230-06-090

  

X

  

Name change

  • Organizations changing their trade name or corporate name report at least 30 days prior to change;
  • Individuals report at least 30 days after the change

WAC 230-06-095

 

X

 

Changing the business location

WAC 230-06-100

 

 

X

Changes made to management, directors, officers, or any other position that makes management decisions

WAC 230-06-105

 

X

Nonprofit only reports at renewal time.

Changing of In-state Resident Agent

WAC 230-03-052

 

X

 

Change of stock

WAC 230-06-107

 

X

 

New Games / Equipment

WAC 230-06-050

WAC 230-15-040

 

X

Or within the timeframe we provide

Transfers of gambling equipment as part of a sale of a business

WAC 230-06-110(6)

 

 

X

Transferring gambling equipment when no longer licensed

WAC 230-06-120(2)

X

 

 

Service Supplier:

Changing gambling related services

WAC 230-06-080(2)

 

X

 

File Quarterly License Report at the end of each quarter for each licensed gambling activity even if there was no gambling activity

WAC 230-05-124

  

X

  

Pay a Quarterly License Fee at the end of each quarter based on a percentage of gross gambling receipts

WAC 230-05-124

WAC 230-05-106

WAC 230-05-160

WAC 230-05-165

WAC 230-05-170

WAC 230-05-112

  

X

  

Changes in ownership structure

You cannot sell or transfer your license to any person or entity. No one can operate under your license, even temporarily.

If any of the following occur without our approval, your license is void and you must immediately stop all gambling activities:

  • The business is sold
  • A sole proprietorship brings in a new person and forms a partnership, LLC, or corporation
  • A partnership takes another partner or changes partners
  • A corporation or LLC sells over 50% of its stock or membership shares to a person or business, which has not held at least 10% previously.

You may accomplish a sale so there is no a break in gambling activity through a “contingency” sale contract, where the sale is contingent on new owners getting a gambling license. The potential new owners will need to apply for their own license.

Learn how to apply for a license

Ownership changes that are allowed

The following changes must be reported to us when

  • A person or organization becomes a substantial interest holder when they were not a substantial interest holder immediately before the transaction
  • A substantial interest holder purchases any additional stock
  • A person or organization becomes a substantial interest holder purchases up to 50% of the shares in the business.

If you are an LLC, complete the LLC Ownership Change Notification application (PDF, 850 KB)

If you are a corporation, complete the Stock Ownership Change Notification application (PDF, 880 KB)

Only some transfers of ownership are allowed

Licensees may request to transfer a gambling license under the following conditions:

Commercial businesses

  • The ownership is exactly the same for both businesses, for example a partnership becomes a LLC
  • The licensed gambling activity will be conducted at the same business premises.

Charitable or nonprofit organizations

  • When you merge or consolidate with another bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization.

Partnerships

  • If one partner in the partnership leaves and is not replaced.

Sole proprietorship

  • A sole proprietor may request to transfer their license to a partnership, corporation or LLC, which is solely owned by the same person.

Death, bankruptcy, and other special circumstances

A licensed operator may transfer their license when the following occurs

  • Incapacity
  • Death
  • Receivership
  • Bankruptcy
  • Assignment for benefit of creditors to a court-appointed or court-confirmed guardian, executor or administrator, receiver, trustee, or assignee for the benefit of creditors.

Complete the Transfer application packet (PDF, 950 KB)

Helpful rules

Learn what changes to report (app.leg.wa.gov)

Learn what limited transfers of ownership are allowed (app.leg.wa.gov)

Learn which ownership changes are allowed (app.leg.wa.gov)

Learn which ownership changes are prohibited (app.leg.wa.gov)