Is Sports Betting Legal in Wyoming?
It turns out that one form of betting has been legal in the state of Wyoming all along. Calcutta wagering on amateur sports and golf has been going on during the years in which PASPA outlawed sports betting. But, single-game wagering in the state remains a mystery.
Wyoming has four casinos, but what Wyoming doesn’t have is people. It is the least populous state and second least densely populated state in the country. In a lot of big states with small populations, we aren’t seeing big pushes for sports betting because they simply aren’t going to generate enough revenue to put in the infrastructure and build everything up. In Wyoming’s case, the casinos are on the Wind River Reservation, which is a haul for places like Casper, Laramie, and Cheyenne. Wyoming does partake in horse racing via pari-mutuel betting, so that is a start.
Whether or not third party operators would come in or if it would be up to the lottery is anybody’s guess, but the process hasn’t even gotten that far. In fact, the process really hasn’t even started. There is no legislation on the floor and no studies have been commissioned either. With such a small amount of gaming revenue, it’s fair to wonder what those reports would even look like. It may simply be a case where the means don’t justify the ends, as it were.
But, hey, at least Wyoming still offers the Calcutta option.
Recent News Stories About Sports Betting
KCWY NBC 13 had a very comprehensive article and accompanying video about sports betting in Wyoming with quotes from some members of the legislature and an overview of what the state currently allows from a gambling standpoint.
KOWB 1290 AM Radio pondered the question of how much the state would benefit from sports betting. Once again, politicians gave their thoughts on what it might mean to adopt legal sports wagering.
Forecast
News stories are kind of few and far between because Wyoming really hasn’t tackled the issue yet. A lot of states are striking while the iron is white-hot, but not Wyoming. That should cast some serious long-term doubts about whether or not the state will proceed. Right now, it looks like there probably won’t be enough dollars to go around, therefore, pardon the pun, it won’t make a lot of sense.
Neighboring States
