Author:
Ashley
Last Updated:
24/11/2024
Topic:
US States
Experiences:
CA born, casino expert
Topic:
US States
Experiences:
CA born, casino expert
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Online gambling legislation varies from state to state, so knowing when, where, and how you place an online wager can be challenging. This is no more challenging than in Wyoming, which is why we’ve put this guide together.
This is because legislation changes all the time, and for gambling in Wyoming, legislation changed earlier this year in the spring of 2021. It did not allow online gambling across the board but did allow sports gambling, which means that there will be some online gambling sites operating during the fall of 2021.
‘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 a 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 began to grow. When that happens, not only will you want to know the best place to open your first account (more on that in a minute), but you’ll also need to know how to ensure your first experience is secure and fair.
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.
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 because 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 Wyoming state lottery. This meant that people were more used to placing a wager remotely, possibly laying the path for the later changes.
This evolved into online sports betting being made legal in Wyoming in 2021 under certain conditions. To avoid a massive free for all, the number of licenses is limited and restricted to operators with 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.
As you’ve already seen, the licenses for the first online sportsbooks will be limited, and only operators with established operations can apply. Our editor’s recommendation also fits that condition, as Bet MGM already operates in several states with evolving gambling laws.
They offer different 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 is excellent for the BetMGM casino area. But the sportsbook bonus will be most interesting for those reading this guide to online gambling in Wyoming. While it is not guaranteed that this will be the same as would be offered in WY (it might be even better), the current deal is a first-bet offer.
If you don’t want to open an account with BetMGM, other choices will be available. So, this guide has five things you need to check for to help you have a better chance of having a secure and fair experience. While this isn’t a 100% guarantee, you should consider walking away if any of these five things are lacking.
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 look at other factors more profoundly. As online gambling in Wyoming is still new, you will never have seen what’s on offer from one operator before, let alone all those making their services available in a new territory. These are things worth checking, regardless of whether you live in Wyoming or gamble in Alaska.
First, 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 try to tempt you. At the same time, we’ll check out the wagering requirements and if they appear fair and reasonable.
We ensure the website is easy to use and you can find what you need. We also ensure you won’t wait 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 we look for a secure process with a fast payout and minimum unnecessary hold-ups before you get your money.
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 to see if it is fit for purpose because you want to ensure the only person withdrawing your money is you.
The loyalty program will matter if you are considering 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, we check out anything else the operator offers that might turn your head that you can’t get from another operator.
While online casinos are still unavailable, the forthcoming licenses that will make online sportsbooks a reality means that it will be a brand new experience for many 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 living in a different state, can benefit from the ‘homework’ we have already done for you. We’ve also done the legwork and been around and checked out all of the major operators, including those likely to make a legal appearance in Wyoming shortly.
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.
When online gambling becomes a reality in Wyoming in the form of online sportsbooks later this year, you will face a wide range of opportunities that may be overwhelming or confusing to those new to WY online gambling sites. After reading this guide, 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, 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 return to this page frequently to check out the latest developments as the first sportsbook operators begin to do business, so you don’t miss out on anything that could benefit you.