The Future of Online Gambling in Wyoming: An Analysis

Gambling in Wyoming has undergone many changes since the state's incorporation into the union, and it is a safe bet that it will continue to evolve. To understand and appreciate the future of online gambling in Wyoming, you should first understand where it came from and where it currently stands. There are still plenty of unanswered questions, but this brief overview should give you an educated idea of what to expect from the future of online gambling in Wyoming.

The History of Gambling in Wyoming

The best way to understand where something is going is to know where it has been. The history of gambling in Wyoming is an interesting one that started way back when the State was first founded. The State's constitution expressly prohibited any forms of gambling, which was the national popular sentiment in the late 1800s when Wyoming was incorporated.

In the early 1970s, Wyoming amended its gambling laws to allow for charitable gambling, including bingo and raffles. While it was a far cry from legalized gambling, it represented a softening of the State's stance on this form of entertainment. Still, licenses were challenging to get and highly regulated.

A significant change came in the late 1990s when the Shoshone tribe sued the State for the right to open casinos on tribal land. After years of legal battles, the tribe finally won, and the first casino was opened in 2005. Although this was another change in Wyoming's gambling landscape, it wasn't the last change that would be made.

In 2013 Wyoming legalized the state lottery, which allows Wyoming residents to participate in national lotteries but still prohibits the sale of scratch-off tickets. The same year the Wyoming government also loosened its laws on electronic gaming devices, allowing up to five in establishments like bars.

Modern Day Gambling

The internet has come a long way, even since 2013, and Wyoming has been forced to evolve with it. However, Wyoming lawmakers have shown little interest in the idea of online casinos, and several factors have left the legality of online gambling in Wyoming under question.

As the law reads, individuals are not expressly banned from gambling online, but running an online casino in the state is illegal. This leads some Wyoming gamblers to believe they can legally gamble online with an offshore casino. This idea is questionable at best, but it has yet to be brought to a court to set a legal precedent.

There is one area where online betting is legal, and that is in the sports betting world. Since 2021 Wyoming residents can place wagers with online sports books in addition to online Fantasy Football betting. Wyomingites can also make horse racing bets online.

The Future of Online Gambling in Wyoming

Nobody has a crystal ball to predict the future of online gambling, but there are several indicators that the future is bright. Some would argue that it has been an uphill struggle to get Wyoming to approve the gambling options available today, and while that isn't untrue, the slope seems more slippery as the years pass.

There are multiple directions it seems Wyoming would have to move before removing barriers from online gaming. For instance, allowing the sales and redemption of instant-win scratch-off tickets seems like a logical place to start. It also appears the State is taking cues from the tribes since online sports betting only became legal after the tribe announced their plans to open a retail sportsbook.

In many ways, it seems like it would be the easier and more popular route to take for Wyoming since the people who want to gamble online have already found a way around the State's current prohibition. Online and in-person betting have proven to be notable money-makers for the State, so it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility for them to expand to online gambling in the near future. However, it is vital to remember that anything that has to do with the government takes time and a lot of red tape, so there is no telling when online gambling would become widely available in the State, even if a measure were passed today.

The Future Seems Bright

Wyoming isn't alone; only a handful of states allow online casinos. Wyoming started the 21st century with some of the most prohibitive gambling laws in the nation, but in the last twenty years, the State has made significant changes to its gambling attitudes. Only time will tell if online gambling becomes legal in Wyoming, but at the rate, things are going, we will hopefully know sooner than later. Until then, Wyoming residents must find a workaround or be content with the many gambling options the State already provides.