Wyoming Legislature Introduces Bill to Legalize Online Casino Gambling

As the latest legislative session gets underway in Wyoming, Rep. Robert Davis has filed House Bill 162, which seeks to legalize online casino in the state.

HB 162 aims to get Wyoming online gaming underway. The bill proposes laws that would allow the Wyoming Gaming Commission to regulate the industry.

What would be the process for obtaining a permit?

Should iGaming legislation become enshrined into Wyoming law, the process for applying and relevant costs will be as follows:

Application for Permit:

• Qualified gaming entities apply for an interactive gaming operator permit via a commission-provided application.
• Abbreviated applications are available for entities already holding an online sports wagering operator permit in Wyoming.
• Application fee: $2,500 for both initial and renewal applications.

Permit Fees and Validity:

• Initial interactive gaming operator permit fee: $100,000; valid for 5 years.
• Renewal fee: $50,000; valid for 5 years.

Vendor Requirements:

• Interactive gaming vendors must have a permit issued by the commission.
• Vendors cannot operate without a valid permit.

Vendor Permit Fees:

• Initial vendor permit fee: $10,000; valid for 5 years.
• Renewal fee: $5,000; valid for 5 years.

How would Wyoming’s online casino tax work?

Revenue Distribution:

• Interactive gaming operators must remit 16% of interactive gaming revenue monthly.
• The first $300,000 tax revenue would go to county health programs for problematic gaming behavior.
• The remaining gaming revenue would be distributed as follows:
  • 40% to counties (based on population).
  • 50% to the school foundation program account.
  • 10% to the commission gaming account (administrative costs).

Fines and Penalties:

• First offense for operating without a permit: $50,000.
• A second or subsequent offense for operating without a license: $100,000.
• A first offense for allowing underage gaming or unauthorized public gaming setups: $25,000.
• The second or subsequent offense for the same: $50,000.

Eligibility and Other Requirements:

• The minimum age for interactive gaming will be 21 years.
• Qualified gaming entities must operate under a regulatory structure in at least three states.
• If sufficient qualified applicants exist, at least five interactive gaming operator permits must be issued.

The bill does not differ dramatically from last year’s effort, HB 120, which failed to be introduced to the House by 36 votes to 25. Whether there’s been a significant shift in political opinion on Wyoming iGaming will soon be discovered.

Spectrum Gaming report could pave the way

A key difference for 2025’s legislative session is the publication of Spectrum Gaming’s study into the potential impact of gaming expansion in the Equality State.

The report dismisses fears of casino revenue cannibalization, stating, “Because Wyoming does not have commercial casinos, the dangers of cannibalization of casino gambling facilities that may concern other states are not relevant here.” It also adds that in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, two of the country’s biggest gambling markets, “such concerns have been unwarranted.”

Spectrum’s study adds that “there is a synergy between online sports wagering and internet gaming, allowing for the introduction of internet gaming without adversely impacting online sports wagering. As a result, Wyoming appears to be in an enviable position to expand its gaming operations to include internet gaming should it decide to proceed with this endeavor.”

The central state comparator is West Virginia (in gaming landscape and population distribution), and the consultancy outlines that it “expects that iGaming in Wyoming would not cause an erosion of either HHR GGR or Native American casino GGR, but we believe it could restrict the ordinary growth of gaming revenues in these sectors.”