Author:
Ashley
Last Updated:
29/01/2023
Topic:
US States
Experiences:
CA born, casino expert
Topic:
US States
Experiences:
CA born, casino expert
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Table of Content
- Who would benefit the most from this guide to online gambling Wyoming – will this answer your questions?
- Online gambling Wyoming: The story so far
- Editor’s recommendation – The perfect operator for WY online gambling sites
- Five tips for a secure and fair gambling experience in Wyoming – use these to stay safe
- What do we look for when evaluating operators for Wyoming residents? – Our review checklist
- Finding the right gambling Wyoming operator for you – use our resources to help you decide
- Online gambling Wyoming: conclusion
- Online gambling Wyoming FAQ
Who would benefit the most from this guide to online gambling Wyoming – will this answer your questions?
‘Is online gambling legal in Wyoming?’ is a question on everybody’s lips, and if you have asked that question yourself, then this is the guide for you, as the answer is far from straightforward. Although Wyoming internet gambling is in a state of transition, the number of medium and long-term opportunities for online gambling in Wyoming are almost endless, so finding out everything you need to know right now, will put you in pole position to benefit.
This guide is also for anybody who previously lived in a state where online gambling was legal and looking to refresh their memories before the number of Wyoming online gambling sites begin to grow. When that happens, not only will you want to know the best place to open you first account (more on that in a minute), but you’ll also need to know how to make sure that first experience is a secure and fair one.
Online gambling Wyoming: The story so far
Is online gambling legal in WY?
Gambling was widespread until the McGill Act made it illegal in 1901. Before that it was not technically legal, there was just an absence of any laws to prevent it. Things remained that way until around 55 years ago, when the gradual change that got things to the stage they are at today, started to happen.
The start of change
This is when the Wyoming Pari-Mutuel Commission (later the Wyoming gaming commission) was created and oversees activities on the state’s racetracks. But, 20 years later, when the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act led to the opening of many casinos across the country, it brought very little change to the progress of online gambling in WY. This was mainly due to the fact that authorities did not come to the table to make the necessary compact with the two federally recognized tribes until 2006 when their hand was forced by legal procedures over the previous 12 months, allowing slots and table games.
Now that real casinos existed, the progression increased, and in 2013 with the introduction of horse racing machines and the introduction of the Wyoming state lottery. This meant that people were more used to placing a wager remotely and possibly laid the path for the later changes to come.
Recent changes
This evolved into online sports betting being made legal in Wyoming earlier in 2021 under certain conditions. To avoid a massive free for all, the number of licenses is to be limited and restricted to operators who have a proven operation in at least three other states. This means that only those operators with a decent pedigree will be involved, which is good news for the number of people you will want to place a sports wager online but have little knowledge of what to expect.
However, it should be noted that this change only made online sports betting legal which means that retail sports betting is still illegal. But, most interestingly for readers of this guide, online casinos in Wyoming remain off-limits for the foreseeable future.
Editor’s recommendation – The perfect operator for WY online gambling sites
As you’ve already seen, the number of licenses for the first online sportsbooks will be limited, and only operators with established operations will be able to apply. Our editor’s recommendation also fits with that condition, as Bet MGM already operates in several states with evolving gambling laws.
As they offer differing services to each location to match the legislation in each state, whether it’s for gambling in Vermont or matching up with the needs of WY bettors. However, it does take more than this for BetMGM to get the editor’s recommendation. We review each operator thoroughly, checking them against strict criteria (more on that later) to give them a final rating out of 100. BetMGM currently tops that list with a score of 98.
Part of that rating will have been due to the bonus, which for the BetMGM casino area is excellent. But for those reading this guide to online gambling in Wyoming, the sportsbook bonus will be of most interest. While it is not guaranteed that this will be the same as would be offered in WY (it might be something even better) but the current offer is a ‘risk free’ bet of several hundred dollars. If this loses, free bets to the same amount are credited to your account.
Five tips for a secure and fair gambling experience in Wyoming – use these to stay safe
If, however, you don’t want to open an account with BetMGM, there will be other choices available. So, to help you have a better chance of having a secure and fair experience, this guide has five things you need to check for. While this isn’t a 100% guarantee, if any of these five things are lacking, you should consider walking away.
What do we look for when evaluating operators for Wyoming residents? – Our review checklist
As we mentioned earlier, those five tips aren’t a guarantee, but rather warning signs you should look out for. When we carry out our full reviews, we go much deeper and look at other factors as well. As online gambling in Wyoming is still new, the chances are you will never have seen what’s on offer from one operator before, let alone all of those that will be making their services available in a new territory. These are things worth checking, regardless of whether you’re living in Wyoming, or gambling in Alaska.
Our first checks
First of all, we look behind the scenes at the online reputation of the operator and their parent company if they have one, checking for extra factors like stock market listings. Then, we check out the bonuses and compare the operators’ offers to what other operators are trying to tempt you with. At the same time we’ll check out the wagering requirements, and if they appear fair and reasonable.
Using the operator website
We make sure the website is easy to use, and you can find what you need. We also make sure you won’t be waiting too long for your bet to be placed or your slot or game to load. After that, we examine which payment methods are accepted, and if there are any extra charges or delays on seeing it appear in your account. Once we’ve looked at that, we look at withdrawals where what we look for is a secure process with a fast payout and the minimum of unnecessary hold ups before you get your money.
To round things off
We looked at support earlier, and here we check this out in more detail, looking at hours that support is active, and any charges involved for phoning the helpline. If we haven’t done it earlier we’ll also look at the verification process in place to see if it is fit for purpose, because you want to make sure the only person withdrawing your money is you.
The loyalty program will matter if you are thinking of staying around after you’ve played through the bonus, so we look at what is on offer for you in the long term. And then last of all we check out anything else the operator offers that might turn your head, that maybe you can’t get from another operator.
Our top reviewed WY online casinos
Finding the right gambling Wyoming operator for you – use our resources to help you decide
While online casinos are still not available, the forthcoming licenses that will make online sportsbooks a reality means that it will be a brand new experience for a lot of novice bettors with a stack of questions that they don’t know the answer to.
However, all of these new bettors, and even those who might be more experienced from previously living in a different state, can benefit from the ‘homework’ that we have already done for you. We’ve also done the legwork and been round and checked out all of the major operators, which will include all of those likely to make a legal appearance in Wyoming in the near future.
The reviews and ratings carried out by our team of experts will answer those questions for you and help narrow down your choices from a wider range of operators down to a shortlist that will make opening that first account a much easier process.
Online gambling Wyoming: conclusion
When online gambling becomes a reality in Wyoming in the form of online sportsbooks later on this year, you will be faced with a wide range of opportunities that may be overwhelming or confusing to those new to WY online gambling sites. After reading this guide however, you should know what to look for to help you have a fair and secure experience, and even have a recommendation for somewhere to open your first account.
If that’s not for you, then you can see what we look for in a sportsbook or online casino operator, so you can check out our other reviews to find the best operator for you. All that remains then, is to come back to this page frequently to check out on the latest developments as the first sportsbook operators begin to do business, so you don’t miss out on anything that could be to your benefit.
