Eight Washington Casinos Closing as Maverick Gaming Goes Bankrupt

A regional affiliate of a bankrupt gaming company is prepared to halt operations at eight casinos in Washington.

Maverick Washington LLC, a division of Maverick Gaming, could put up to 850 individuals out of work as part of the closures. Letters about each shutdown were sent to Washington’s Employment Security Department.

Losing the eight casinos would take away about one-quarter of Washington’s entire retail casino market.

Washington casinos closing en masse

The casinos that are on the cusp of closure are as follows: All Star Casino in Silverdale, Casino Caribbean in Yakima, Chip’s Casino in Lakewood, Coyote Bobs Casino in Kennewick, Crazy Moose Casino in Pasco, Great American Casino in Everett, Macau Casino in Lakewood and Palace Casino in Lakewood.

Each letter sent to the Employment Security Department contained a note from Maverick Washington LLC Human Resources Director Christine Wisniewski, which said that the casino could remain open if a new owner was sourced.

“Maverick Washington LLC is currently subject to a bankruptcy proceeding and, as part of that proceeding, there could be a potential change of operator and/or owner for the site,” she said. “If the site is transitioned to a new owner/operator, the above-referenced closure may not occur, or alternatively, the closure could be delayed. We will provide updated information to you in the event that occurs.”

Maverick had already filed for bankruptcy in July 2025 after a 2024 debt restructuring. That announcement coincided with the shuttering of Dragon Tiger Casino in Mountlake Terrace, Palace Casino in Lakewood, Roman Casino in Seattle and Silver Dollar in Renton.

The gaming company blamed the action on the Washington State Gambling Commission’s 3-2 vote to deny the use of a centralized surveillance system. Maverick argued that using on-site equipment across multiple cardrooms was financially unsustainable and did not keep pace with modern industry trends. 

“This decision follows the Washington Gaming Commissioners’ choice to shut down the centralized surveillance petition, which was intended to support Washington Cardrooms,” Maverick Gaming stated on its website. “In the decision considerations, the gaming board compared Washington cardroom casinos (15 tables) to mega casinos that attract higher volumes of traffic, impacting our operations. The lack of centralized and advanced surveillance technology, in contrast to what is available in larger establishments, has further hindered our ability to compete effectively.”

A changing market

Washington’s casino industry has been thrown for a loop recently.

In early September, MyNorthwest discerned that two of Maverick’s Tukwila casinos were closing on Nov. 1.

Notices filed with the state revealed that the Great American Casino and the Riverside Casino were set to close at the start of what is now the following month. Riverside announced 142 layoffs, while Great American Casino confirmed 96. 

Maverick Gaming has operated under Chapter 11 protection since last year and closed five locations since April. The latest information seems to confirm that Maverick’s time in Washington is over, along with its casinos, unless they are transferred to new ownership.

Maverick’s assets and total liabilities were estimated to be worth $100-500 million. The company also owned and operated thousands of slot machines, table games, hotel rooms and restaurants at additional locations in Nevada and Colorado.