Summary:
- Wyoming is the 6th state to have online casino legislation introduced in 2024.
- The bill places the Wyoming Gaming Commission in control.
- A minimum of five interactive gaming permits would be authorized.
This year seems to be open to online casino gaming by states that we would never expect. Several states have already introduced online casino legislation, including Hawaii, and Wyoming is now in the mix.
This week, Representative Robert Davis announced the introduction of HB 120. The measure would allow the Cowboy State to start offering online casino gaming.
More Details on the Measure
The new bill sets forth the language for an online casino industry in Wyoming. It’s quite interesting to note that the state has not been on the radar regarding any new online gaming legislation since 2020.
HB 120 would set up the Wyoming Gaming Commission as the regulator of the industry. There will be a minimum of five interactive gaming operator permits and no limit on the number of apps in the sector. The minimum age to bet would be 18, which is quite lower than the normal 21.
Permits would cost $100,000 initially and have a $50,000 five-year renewable fee. An interactive gaming vendor permit would have a lower $10,000 first-time fee and $5,000 every five years after that. Live dealer gaming is available, but the bill does not require the gaming studios to be located in Wyoming, which is also different from other states.
Multistate agreements are also included so operators can serve players in other states that are part of any agreement. Wyoming is quite a small state with only 580,000 residents.
Taxes are set at 10%, with $300,000 set aside separately each year to help prevent and treat any problem gambling needs.
A Similar Set-Up to Sports Betting
The new online casino bill is similar to the sports betting legislation that passed in 2021. The language used by Davis seems to stem from this bill. Companies like FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, and Caesars offer sports betting. If casino services were also on the table, seeing these companies vie for licensing would not be surprising.
Wyoming is home to two federally recognized Indian tribes that each have a compact with the state: the Northern Arapaho Tribe and the Eastern Shoshone Tribe of the Wind River Reservation. The two tribes do not feature online sports betting, and it is unclear if the state will allow the tribes to offer online casino services based on HB 120. The Northern Arapaho do offer land-based betting due to their state compact.
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