Wyoming’s Online Casino Bill Stalls in Committee

04.02.2025

Efforts to bring online casino gaming to Wyoming have hit a roadblock. House Bill 162 (HB 162), which aimed to legalize iGaming in the state, failed to gain traction in the House Travel, Recreation, Wildlife & Cultural Resources Committee. After two discussions on January 30 and February 3, the bill was left in limbo when no committee member backed a motion to advance it.

No Progress in Committee

Representative Cathy Connolly attempted to push the bill forward, but with no support from the committee, Chairman Andrew Byron closed the session without taking action.

While the bill wasn’t officially rejected, its path forward now seems highly uncertain. Wyoming’s legislative session runs until March 6, but bills must move from one chamber to the other by February 12, leaving little time for HB 162 to gain momentum.

What HB 162 Proposed

The bill sought to legalize online casino gaming statewide, allowing residents to play poker, blackjack, slots, and other casino-style games from their devices.

Oversight of the industry would have fallen under the Wyoming Gaming Commission (WGC), which already regulates online sports betting in the state.

Unlike some states that legalize both online and retail casino gaming simultaneously, HB 162 did not include provisions for physical commercial casinos.

The Financial Outlook

Had HB 162 passed, Wyoming would have imposed a 16% tax on gross gaming revenue, with funds directed toward problem gambling treatment programs, county governments, public schools, and other state initiatives.

Operators would have needed a license from the WGC, with fees set at $100,000 for online gaming platforms and $10,000 for service providers. The bill also included measures to ensure responsible gaming, such as requiring geolocation technology to verify players’ locations and restricting participation to individuals 21 and older.

Initial projections suggested that a legal online casino market in Wyoming could bring in $138 million in its first year, with the potential to reach $200 million annually. This could have translated into roughly $40 million in yearly tax revenue for the state. If passed, HB 162 would have gone into effect on January 1, 2026.