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Mountlake Terrace’s Crazy Moose Casino will close its doors permanently on July 31, when 82 workers will be laid off, according to the Washington Employment Security Department. This is the second casino to close in the City. Dragon Tiger Casino on Highway 99 closed after its parent company Maverick Gaming filed for bankruptcy in July 2025. The third Mountlake Terrace casino – Ace’s Poker – is still operating.
During the past three years, all three casinos generated more than $1 million annually in gambling tax revenue for the City, accounting for about 88% of all gambling tax revenue collected, according to City Manager Jeff Niten.
He told My MLT News that Ace’s Poker and Crazy Moose each contributed about $450,000 per year, while Dragon Tiger Casino generated more than $400,000 annually before declaring bankruptcy.
Niten added that the closure of Crazy Moose will reduce gambling tax revenue to the City’s general fund by about 36%. Because the casino’s operations are winding down, he said it is difficult to predict how much revenue will be received during the second and third quarters of the fiscal year.
“For planning purposes, we’ll continue to use the financial strategies adopted by City Council,” Niten said. He added that the full gambling revenue loss is already accounted for in the City’s financial plan.
“Better safe than sorry,” Niten said.
On May 7, the City Council adopted a proposal to close the City’s $4.2 million budget gap, which includes a combination of a property tax levy, picnic area rentals, cuts in staffing and general fund spending, and increasing vehicle licensing and business permitting fees.
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