The Wyoming Gaming Commission (WGC) has initiated a study to evaluate the potential for expanding gambling in the state to include online gaming.
Currently, the WGC oversees online sports betting, skill games, horse racing, slot-style machines, pari-mutuel betting, and charitable gaming. Wyoming is also home to four tribal casinos operated by the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes, as well as a state lottery.
To explore the possibility of adding online casino gaming to this lineup, the commission has hired Spectrum Gaming Group, a consulting firm specializing in gaming regulation and market analysis. Spectrum will assess the potential for online gambling in Wyoming and provide recommendations on regulatory improvements and the potential impacts of expansion. A report is expected in November, outlining how online slots, table games, and other forms of online gaming could benefit the state, alongside a suggested regulatory framework for implementation.
Depending on Spectrum’s findings, the WGC may propose that the legislature consider online gaming legislation during its 2025 general session.
“We believe that iGaming has the potential to bring significant benefits to our state, but we also recognize the need for a comprehensive and objective analysis to inform our decision-making process,” said Wyoming Gaming Commission Executive Director Charles Moore. “By working with Spectrum Gaming Group, we are confident that we will receive valuable insights and recommendations that will help us navigate this rapidly evolving industry.”
Back in February of this year, Wyoming lawmakers proposed a bill that would have brought online casino wagering to its gaming market.
House Bill 120, sponsored by Rep. Jon Conrad, Robert Davis and others, proposed that the WGC should be able to offer up to five online gaming operator licenses.
However, it was voted down in the House.
Despite that, Wyoming’s 2024 General Appropriations bill includes a provision that the WGC should conduct a statewide study of gaming in consultation with the state’s Joint Appropriations Committee.
Wyoming launched an online sports betting market more than three years ago and major industry players such as FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbook have stepped into the state. Fanatics joined the market in late May.
The WGC’s most recent sports betting revenue numbers showed a total state handle of $12.2 million in August, up 16.6% from the month before and up 25.2% year-over-year. Wyoming’s 10% tax rate on online sports betting consistently yields more than $100,000 per month for the state and raised $116,181 in August.
While online sports betting is legal and regulated in 38 U.S. states plus Washington, D.C., iGaming is only allowed in seven: Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey,Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and West Virginia.
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