In early February, the Wyoming legislative committee spent more than an hour discussing legal iGaming for the Equality State, but HB 162 failed to progress forward when Rep. Cathy Connelly made a motion for the committee to work the bill and no second came.
HB 162 Is Still Alive For The Wyoming Online Betting Community
On Feb. 3, 2025, members of the Travel, Recreation, Wildlife, and Cultural Resources Committee debated HB 162, which would allow statewide legal iGaming in Wyoming.
When Connelly was met with a resounding silence in the room after she moved a motion for the committee to work on the bill, committee chair Andrew Byron moved to postpone the bill indefinitely.
However, HB 162 isn’t dead just yet for the Wyoming online betting community. The state’s legislative session runs till March 6, and the bill complied with the Feb. 12 final deadline date for bills to cross chambers.
During the Bill’s first hearing on Jan. 30, representatives of the Northern Arapaho and Shoshone tribes strongly opposed the Bill. The tribal leaders said their existing gambling revenues would be negatively impacted by online casino gaming. Legalized sports betting and horse racing have already cut into their revenue.
Problem, Responsible Gambling Advocates Testified Against The Bill
Problem and responsible gambling advocates also testified in opposition, while the Sports Betting Alliance (SBA) and others testified in favor. But in the end, the committee was not moved by that testimony.
“By transitioning from an unregulated, untaxed iGaming environment to a structured and lawful one, the state can harness substantial economic benefits while safeguarding its residents,” said SBA’s Sarah Filosa.
Filosa mentioned sweepstakes sites, including Chumba and Stake, which operate through a loophole across the U.S. The sites offer free-to-play games, but consumers can still purchase coins or tokens.
Unlike traditional online casinos, sweepstakes casinos allow players to participate without engaging in real-money gambling. This legal gray area has kept them outside the traditional regulatory framework.
Legal Framework Would Help Wyoming Crack Down On Illegal Operators?
HB 162 supporters argue that a legal framework would give the state the tools to get illegal operators out of Wyoming. But lawmakers questioned why state officials can’t do that right now without legalization.
“It gives your gaming commission and law enforcement a law to point to to say, ‘Hey, we have a law on the books that says online gambling ONLY if you are legal and licensed and regulated in the state’,” said John Pappas on behalf of the iDevelopment Economic Association.
“‘And if you are not, you are operating illegally.’ Right now, these operators exploit the lack of clarity in the law, and say, ‘Oh, we’re just going to operate here without a license because we’re offshore.'”
Other states like Connecticut, Maryland, and Mississippi are actively considering bills to ban sweepstakes gaming, while New York’s pending online casino legislation could drive such operators out of the market.