Rep. Robert Davis has announced plans to reintroduce online casino legislation
A push to modernize Wyoming’s gambling laws is picking up momentum, with Rep. Robert Davis announcing plans to reintroduce online casino legislation this fall. While previous efforts to legalize the industry have failed, new research highlighting potential economic benefits has given lawmakers fresh incentive to revisit the proposal.
Currently, online casinos are outlawed in Wyoming, despite the state having already legalized online sports betting in 2021. Davis argues that expanding into online casino play would strengthen Wyoming’s economy without damaging existing gaming sectors.
A joint study by the Wyoming Gaming Commission and Spectrum Gaming Group supports his claim, projecting between $93 million and $138 million in revenue during the first year of legalization. That could generate up to $30 million in tax revenue for state projects benefiting Wyoming’s population of just over half a million residents.
The long-term outlook appears even stronger. By year five, annual revenue could grow to as much as $199 million, nearly doubling the first-year forecast. Importantly, the study concluded that online casinos would not pull revenue away from brick-and-mortar facilities or other iGaming services, easing one of the main concerns surrounding legalization.
Despite these numbers, past attempts have come up short. The most recent vote saw 36 lawmakers oppose the measure, while 25 supported it—only a few votes away from passing. Davis believes the updated revenue projections and successful examples from states such as Connecticut and Delaware could help shift opinions when the bill is reintroduced.
For now, Wyoming residents will have to wait until the next legislative session to see if the state joins the growing list of US jurisdictions embracing online casinos. But with new evidence pointing to strong economic benefits and minimal downside, the debate over gambling expansion in the Cowboy State may be entering its most pivotal stage yet.
