At the moment of writing sports betting in Wyoming is considered illegal. There are no online platforms or physical sportsbooks to conduct sport wagering that are deemed legal. The state has 3 tribal casinos which do not allow any sports wagering. The closest Wyoming has come to legalizing sports betting is the legalization of pari-mutuel race betting as well as the establishment of betting pools. Daily Fantasy Sports are legal in the state as well with users being allowed to place bets.

Gambling Laws in Wyoming

Generally speaking, Wyoming reflects rather conservative views on gambling. Interestingly gambling is defined as any activity with the slightest element of luck involved limiting the expansion of gambling bills. Even though the state has long fought the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, the state has 3 Tribal Casinos offering slot machines, table games and poker. Other legal forms of gambling include pari-mutuel betting, simulcast race wagering, the lottery charity bingo and raffles.

Most Popular Sports in Wyoming

Wyoming has beautiful scenery to offer, being home to some of the most impressive national parks in the country. Climbing, hiking, water sports and other outdoor activities can be enjoyed throughout the summer, while skiing, snowboarding and other watersports can be enjoyed throughout the winter. An all-time favorite is the Rodeo, it was declared state sport in 2003. There are no Major League sports teams in the state but there are some successful collegiate teams and minor league franchises that residents enjoy. Historically Horse racing played a big role in the sports industry.

National Collegiate Athletics Association – Wyoming Cowboys

The Cowboys were established more than a century ago in 1892 and they compete in the Mountain West Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I. The team has won 15 conference titles and is most notable as stepping stone program due to its highly successful former coaches.

National Collegiate Athletics Association – Wyoming Cowboys

The Cowboys Basketball team competes in the Mountain West conference and established in 1905. They have appeared in the NCAA Tournament 15 times, winning 7 championships and 3 conference titles, the last being in 2015. They play home games out of the Arena Auditorium

Live & Historic horse racing – Wyoming Downs track

Horse Racing has a long-standing history in Wyoming. Wyoming downs is the states’ most popular race track after being relaunched. It hosts historic races, where names are left blank, while it also hosts live races and a mix of both.

North American 3 Hockey League – Yellowstone Quake

The Yellowstone Quake are a Tier 3 junior hockey team. They pay their home games at Victor Riley Arena in Codey and are a non-for-profit corporation. The teams have some notable Alumni that moved on to collegiate programs in the US and Canada and the most notable alumni is Jacob Duty who signed a 3-year deal with NHL team St. Louis Blues.

Local History of Sports Betting

As mentioned, Wyoming is rather conservative in it views on gambling, shown by the fact that they only legalized lottery gambling in 2013. The state also fought its native tribes for over a decade on their right to build and operate casinos on their land, despite a federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act giving them the right in1989 already.

Gambling Age in Wyoming

At present, sports betting in the state of Wyoming is illegal and the law specifies no official minimum age for this form of gambling. The minimum age to participate in pari-mutuel betting and the lottery is 18, whereas casinos require a minimum age of 21. An educated guess estimates that the minimum age to place sports bets will be in accordance with the legal drinking age, which is 21 years.

• Sports Betting Age
  Being an outlawed activity, the state law states no legal age for betting
• Alcohol Age
  The legal drinking age is set at 21
• Weed Age
  Marijuana is not legal in Wyoming and no minimum age has been set

Is Online Sports Betting Legal Outside of the State?

In 2018 the supreme court approved a law that was meant to ban sports betting in most states. Contrary to the expectations, quite a few states passed bills in order to legalize sports betting. Colorado, one of the neighbouring states has a house bill – HB 9-1327 waiting for approval, which could potentiall legalize sports betting as soon as 2020.

Utah, on the other hand, is currently considered one of the last states to change their gambling laws and move toward legalization of sports betting as its very conservative and cultural views on gambling have a major impact on legislation.

Taxes on Your Winnings: Do You Have to Pay Anything?

It was already established that sports betting is currently illegal in Wyoming and taxes are practically non-existent. The state lottery, classified as gambling, currently does not impose state taxes, only federal taxes (25%) on any winnings. In the US, Nevada where sports betting has commenced in 1975 currently, has a 25% federal taxes on winnings from gambling-related activities. If sports betting is authorized in Wyoming, taxes of the same sizecan be expected.

Upcoming Regulation Changes in Wyoming Sports Betting Law

The most recent changes of the gaming industry in Wyoming were pertaining pari-mutuel betting to reinvigorate the tired horse racing industry. At the time of writing this, no other activities pointing towards new legislation or bills having been filed, discussed or voted on. It seems reasonable that if the desired effect on the pari-mutuel betting sector will be realized, that senators, representatives and alike will be more open toward the discussion of legalizing sports betting.

Sports Betting Guides for Nearby States

• Colorado
• Montana
• Idaho
• Utah