⭐ WY Online Gambling

The first sportsbook apps to launch legal online gambling in Wyoming.

Wyoming legalized online gambling in the form of online sports betting law in April 2021 with Gov Mark Gordon signing the bill. The WY online gambling law also classified daily fantasy sports contests as a non-gambling activity, strenghtening their position in the state. The legislation, formerly known as HB133, failed to mention online casino or online poker, so these forms of gambling still remain illegal in Wyoming. Wyoming Gaming Commission regulates the industry and approves new applicants for licenses.

⭐ Wyoming Sports Betting Sites

Wyoming will grant operators minimum of 5 sports betting licenses, with no maximum cap. Operators must have sportsbooks in at least three other states. DraftKings, FanDuel, Barstool and BetMGM have already applied for a Wyoming sports betting license by submitting a letter of intent. DraftKings Wyoming and BetMGM Sportsbook Wyoming launched on September 1 with bonuses for new Wyoming sports bettors.

BetMGM Wyoming offers a great bonus for new players.

When Will Sports Betting Go Live in Wyoming?

The Wyoming Gaming Commission, formerly known as the Wyoming Pari-Mutuel Commission, announced that their targeted launch date for sports betting was September 1st 2021, and they succeeded. DraftKings and BetMGM were the first sportsbooks approved for the state in a special meeting, and launched their apps and sites on Sept. 1. The next Commission meeting is held on November 5, but more special meetings to approve at least three more operators might be scheduled before then.

Is Retail Sports Betting Available in Wyoming?

Funny enough, no. Land based sports betting is not available in WY, as the state decided to legalize only online and mobile sports betting. Wyoming joins Tennessee as the only states in the United States without retail betting. Given the small population and vast distances of the state, this is quite understandable. However, one or both of the Native American tribes in the state may open a retail sportsbook in the future.

DraftKings has arrived for sports betting in Wyoming.

⭐ Are Online Casinos Legal in Wyoming?

Online casinos are not legal in Wyoming. HB133 only addressed sports betting and DFS and had no mention of online casinos. Given the geographical limitations of state, we expect that Wyoming online casinos might arrive in the future though, as the distances between the tribal casinos and major cities are hundreds of miles.

Retail Casinos in Wyoming

There are four tribal casinos in the state, operated by two Native American tribes in WY: the Northern Arapaho tribe and the Eastern Shoshone tribe. All of the Wyoming casinos offer slots machines, but only Wind River Hotel & Casino has class III gaming, aka poker room with poker tournaments, video poker and table games. Therefore, the casino gambling in Wyoming is quite limited.

Is Online Poker Legal in Wyoming?

No, online poker games are not yet allowed to operate in Wyoming. The only place where you can take part in legal poker rooms is at the Wind River Casino in Riverton, located in the Wind River Reservation.

⭐ Other Forms of Gambling

In addition to Wyoming sports betting, several other forms of gambling sites are allowed in Wyoming as well. These include daily fantasy sports, lottery, charitable gambling, historical horse racing machines, and pari-mutuel wagering on horses.

Daily Fantasy Sports

HB133 also clarified the status of DFS contests in Wyoming. Fantasy sports are not seen as gambling by the state law, which means that Wyomingites over the age of 18 can take part in these contests and still win real money. As DFS is not seen as a gambling activity, there is no separate license required, which means that in addition to giant fantasy sports operators DraftKings and FanDuel, smaller operators like Monkey Knife Fight can do business in the state.

Horse Racing

You can bet on horses in Wyoming via mobile betting platforms, OTB facilities or at the horse racing tracks. Available online horse racing sites in WY include all the biggest horse race operators like TVG, TwinSpires, and BetAmerica. There are also more than 20 off-track betting venues around the state. Finally, the three racetracks in the state also accept pari-mutuel wagering on horses:

• Energy Downs Cam-Plex: 1635 Reata Drive, Gillette, WY 82718 (May to June)
• Sweetwater Downs Events Complex: 3320 Yellowstone Road, Rock Springs, WY 82901 (August to September)
• Wyoming Downs Racetrack: 10180 Highway 89 North, Evanston, WY 82930 (June to August)

Wyoming State Lottery

Wyoming Lottery is not run by the state, which is a peculiarity in the United States. It’s a private, for-profit organization that receives no tax dollars. In addition, the state lottery can only operate in retail settings and can’t sell scratchers, as state officials wished to limit instant win games. Therefore, the only lottery options in the Wyoming gambling industry are draw games, like Mega Millions, sold at kiosks around the state.

⭐ Wyoming Gambling Age

Wyoming is one of the only states where you can legally place bets and participate in all forms of gambling at 18 years old. Therefore, anyone within Wyoming state limits, over the age of 18, and not on a self-exclusion list can play retail casino games or place bets online.

⭐ Wyoming Legal Online Gambling Timeline

• September 1, 2021: Wyoming sports betting launches with BetMGM and DraftKings as the first operators on the market.
• August 2, 2021: The public comment period closes and Wyoming Gaming Commission adopts sports betting market rules. Bettors can now look forward betting app launches.
• July 15, 2021: The sports betting license application process is opened, with at least 4 operators sending a letter of intent to enter the market.
• July 9, 2021: The Gaming Commission decides on a set of sports wagering rules, which will undergo a 45-day comment period.
• April 6, 2021: Sports betting online in Wyoming becomes a law as Governor Gordon signs HB 133 into state law. Now WY must decide on the gambling regulations operators must follow.
• March 29, 2021: HB133 passes the Senate 24-5 with 1 abstention.
• March 10, 2021: The House passes a revised online betting bill it rejected a day earlier. The new bill proposes a tax rate of 10%, a 5-year license fee of $100,000 and a renewal fee of $50,000.
• Feb 28, 2020: A sports betting bill to allow betting on sports in WY fails in the House of Representatives. State lawmakers, led by Rep. Tom Walters, continue to look into gambling legislation.