CHEYENNE, Wyo. — A bill legalizing online sports betting in Wyoming has been passed by the 66th legislature.
The Wyoming Senate passed House Bill 133 with a 24-5 vote yesterday, March 29. The bill will now head to Governor Mark Gordon’s desk to be signed.
House Bill 133 directs the Wyoming Gaming Commission to regulate online sports gambling and impose a 10% tax. According to the bill’s fiscal note, the state’s sports wagering market is estimated at over $449,000,000, dependent upon conversion from the illegal market. The state is currently facing a budget deficit.
The bill narrowly passed the House on its third reading, 32-28.
Concerns surrounding increased gambling addictions in the state were discussed. The bill does include a statute that allocates revenue to combat gambling addiction. The bill states, “Each fiscal year, the first three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000.00) of revenue generated under this section is continuously appropriated to the department of health to be distributed to the counties for the purpose of funding county health programs to prevent and treat problematic gambling behavior and the remainder of monies remitted to the commission shall be deposited by the state treasurer into the general fund.”
Teton County electeds, Senator Mike Gierau, Representatives Mike Yin, Andy Schwartz, and Jim Roscoe all voted in favor of the bill. Senator Dan Dockstader voted against the bill. Senator Mike Gierau co-sponsored the bill.
