A Wyoming lawmaker plans to introduce an online casino legalization bill during the 2025 session.
Rep. Robert Davis told PlayUSA that he would refile online casino legislation next year. Davis’ comment comes after Spectrum Gaming Group released a study highlighting the positives of legalizing the industry in Wyoming.
“The iGaming portion sounds good. It doesn’t support any cannibalization, and it looks to be relatively easily implemented based on the things the state of Wyoming currently has going for it,” Davis told PlayUSA.
Wyoming legislative session
Davis will likely introduce his bill, which will resemble the proposal he introduced this year, in December. The session begins Jan. 14 and goes through March 6.
Davis told PlayUSA it could be an educational endeavor and will likely follow a similar path as legalized sports betting in 2021.
“There will be an educational component,” Davis said. “Sports wagering has a lot more exposure than iGaming. Everyone is talking about sports wagering, ‘Did you see the game; did you get in on the action?’”
Wyoming online casino projections
Spectrum estimates online casino operators could generate revenues up to $138 million in the first year. That figure could grow to $199 million at maturity.
Those figures could bring the state up to $40 million in annual taxes.
The report also notes that with a lack of brick-and-mortar commercial casinos, cannibalization concerns are moot in Wyoming. While seven states have legalized online casinos, cannibalization concerns have derailed some efforts, like those in Maryland this year.
Online sports betting performance
Wyoming sports betting launched in 2021. Because of the state’s small population, sportsbook companies were not in a rush to launch in the Cowboy State.
The market has grown to include five online sportsbooks.
Since the debut of legal betting, books in Wyoming have taken $518 million in action, generating $54.6 million in sports betting revenue and contributing $3.2 million in taxes to the state.
