Wyoming Lawmaker to File Online Casino Bill After Research Predicts Positive Outcome

Rep. Robert Davis has confirmed that he would refile online casino legislation for 2025 following a favorable study by Spectrum Gaming Group. The study demonstrated that legalized iGaming will raise Wyoming revenue without gnawing on existing gaming returns.

Robert mentioned in September that he would wait for the study results to decide whether to file a Wyoming online casino bill. The positive conclusion is now the driving catalyst for the Rep who plans to file a bill in December. 

“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.” Robert enthused, “I plan on going ahead and introducing it. Hopefully, we can get action on both sides of the chamber and get it going. What the appetite will be, I’m not sure.”

Spectrum Gaming Study Details

The research body submitted details of their study to the Wyoming Gaming Commission, and the numbers are impressive. If legalized, online casinos are expected to attract $93 million to $138 million in the first year. By year five, the turnover should be between $162 million and $199 million. Based on these numbers, state tax revenues would range from $20 million to $30 million in year one and up to $40 million in the fifth year.

More importantly, the study predicts that online casinos will not cannibalize the revenues of physical gambling locations and other gaming services. The state currently allows legalized online sports betting and has three tribal casinos and three racetracks with 39 horse racing facilities. It also allows the operations of charitable gaming and skill-based amusement games at truck stops, smoke shops, and bars.

What Online Casino Supporters Are Saying

Advocates of online casino legalization are happy about the study results. Steve May of GLI told commissioners that the state can successfully regulate online casinos for its benefits just like it does with sports betting. “If this is put on your plate, you’ll be ahead of the game because you’ve been regulating online sports betting for a while now. If you do get iGaming, I think it will fall right in line with sports betting.”

Jeff Ifrah, co-founder of the iDevelopment and Economic Association, shares the same sentiment, urging the state to give residents the option of accessing online casino offerings.

“The recently released Spectrum gaming study is just the latest to find that iGaming doesn’t steal revenue from land-based gaming but complements it. In addition, legal, regulated iGaming creates consumer protections and more tax dollars for the state – neither of which exists in Wyoming’s current unregulated iGaming market. The highly pervasive illegal sites that Wyoming’s residents are already accessing pose significant risks to players and offer no tax revenue to the state. Now is the time for Wyoming to embrace the future, protect its residents and reap the rewards.”

Tribal Casinos Express Concerns on iGaming Impact

Jenni Wildcat, a commissioner at the Wyoming Gaming Commission, sought clarification from Spectrum Gaming regarding its conclusion that online casinos would not impact tribal gaming. The group representative, Matt Robb, responded that they used Michigan iGaming as a comparison metric.

“Michigan, as you know, has commercial and tribal casinos and the tribal casinos operate iGaming as well. And we have not seen a decline in Michigan retail or bricks and mortar gaming going to casinos as the iGaming has expanded. Now, we’ve seen growth almost come to a halt but we haven’t seen it reversed. We haven’t seen people substituting casino trips for sitting in their living room playing on their phone.”

Wildcat, also a member of the Northern Arapaho Tribe, stated that her tribe performed their independent study and reached a different conclusion. “I know the Northern Ara tribe has done a study. It shows a huge impact from iGaming on our brick-and-mortar properties in the negative.”

Wyoming tribes have land-based sports betting locations but do not offer online services. Independent sports betting operators who cater to online needs are mandated to geofence their service from tribal territories.

David, however, wants online casinos to have more freedom. “The tribes are going to be a critical component, there’s no doubt about that. I believe brick-and-mortar and online gaming cater to two different types of people.”

The Rep also inferred that he is not against tribes hosting online casino services. 

“I don’t really have an opinion on that. “There’s a lot of conversations to be had on the logistics of how this could be rolled out. Do they even want to participate?”

Davis to File the Bill Next Year

The state legislative session will run from January 14 to March 6, 2025, and Davis has enough time to refile the online casino bill.

Wyoming filed the online sports betting bill in a short session in 2023, and it was passed this year. iGaming proponents hope to achieve the same feat, but the Rep warns that there is still some way to go.

“There will be an educational component. 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?’”

Davis does believe that the study results will help his case. “There’s always a need for additional revenue. The study should help support the bill, give it some scientific factors behind it. Instead of just saying this is what we think, now we have the study saying this could occur.”