Online Casinos Wyoming

Online casinos are illegal in Wyoming. The Equality State is known for its strict and inflexible gambling laws. Still, online sports betting has recently been legalized. With that in mind, we have created a complete online casinos Wyoming guide. We will review the legal landscape of online gambling in the state and report whether legal Wyoming online casinos are on the horizon.

  • WY gambling law reviewed by experts
  • Overview of current Wyoming gambling scene
  • Future of online casinos in Wyoming
  • 0 Legal Online Casinos
  • 4 Legal Land Based Casinos
  • 20+ Legal Bingo / Lottery Games
  • 10+ Legal social Casinos
  • Responsible Gaming
  • National Indian Gaming Commission

Wyoming Online Casinos – WY Laws

According to the WY State Statutes, only a few types of gambling are authorized in the state. These include pari-mutual wagering, charitable gambling, skill-based amusement games, the lottery, and online sports betting. Land-based casinos are illegal, except those operated by Native American Tribes in the Wind River Indian Reservation. Any type of gambling in Wyoming is illegal unless explicitly authorized in the State Statutes.

As such, online casinos are not permitted to operate in Wyoming. Despite recent amendments to Wyoming online gambling laws to legalize online sports betting in WY, the future of Wyoming online casinos does not look so promising. We will explain why real money online casino Wyoming sites are unlikely later in this guide. You can also use this bill tracker to check for any upcoming changes to online gambling WY laws.

Online Gambling Wyoming Laws

As already mentioned, online gambling Wyoming laws do not authorize real money online casinos. However, some other forms of online gambling in Wyoming are permitted under state laws. Social casinos do not accept real money wagers and are not illegal under the state’s gambling laws. Online pari-mutual horse racing betting is permitted through selected platforms.

In a recent update to the legal online gambling WY landscape, Gov. Mark Gordon signed HB133 into law in 2021, legalizing online sports betting in Wyoming. The bill also categorized daily fantasy sports as skill-based games rather than a form of gambling. While daily fantasy contests operators are not regulated in the state, WY residents can play at DFS sites without breaking the law.


A Brief History of Gambling in Wyoming

Wyoming has a history of restrictive gambling laws. The McGill Act was passed in 1901, making gambling in Wyoming illegal. All types of gambling remained illegal until the state legalized pari-mutual horse racing betting in 1967. In 2013, the Wyoming Legislature voted to allow historical horse racing machines at the state’s track locations. The same year, the state authorized the privately-owned Wyoming Lottery.

In 1988, the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act became federal law. However, it took over 15 years of legal battles before the state finally agreed to compacts with the Northern Arapaho and Shoshone tribes in 2006. This led to the development of four land-based casino in Wyoming, on the Wind River Indian Reservation.

In 2020, lawmakers sought to enact new Wyoming online gambling laws that would allow online-only sports betting. A 32-27 vote defeated the bill. However, the following year, HB133 was signed into law, legalizing mobile and online sports betting under the Wyoming State Statutes. In September 2021, licensed online sports betting sites went live in the state.


An Overview of US Gambling History

Throughout the history of gambling in the United States, various federal and state laws have been enacted to permit or restrict different types of gambling activities. Some states have fought tirelessly to legalize online gambling, with pioneering states such as New Jersey leading the fight to legalize online casinos and sports betting within its borders. Only a few others have followed their lead. Here are the only states in the US with legal online casinos and licenses:

The Federal Wire Act

The Wire Act of 1961 is a federal law prohibiting betting and wagering using a wire communication facility in the US. This essentially made all online gambling illegal in the US. However, in 2011, the US Department of Justice released a legal opinion that the Act applied only to sports betting. As such, some states enacted laws permitting online casino and poker sites. Still, Wyoming was not one of those states, and there are no Wyoming online gambling laws that legalize online gaming.


Black Friday 2011

April 15th, 2011, is dubbed Black Friday by the poker community. On this date, the US Department of Justice issued an indictment against three major poker websites operating in the US. It was deemed that the operators violated the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act and were operating illegally in the country. The repercussions of this event were felt for many years, and it is only recently that some states have decided to legalize online casinos. Still, Wyoming online casinos remain illegal under state law.


Popular Online Casino Games for US Players

As we have already established, online gambling Wyoming laws do not permit online casinos to operate in the state. Still, perhaps you are interested in what types of games online casinos offer. In the next sections of our online casinos Wyoming review, we will explore the types of games that would be popular if the state legalized online casino gaming.

We have researched states with legal online casinos to find the most common types of games. We provide more details about the games and tell you where you can legally play them in the US. Here are the most popular online casino games in states that have legalized casino sites:

Online Blackjack in WY

It is not legal to play any real money casino games online in WY. As such, you cannot legally play online blackjack in Wyoming. The state has staunchly opposed any casino gaming, both land-based and online. The only way you can play real money blackjack in WY is to visit one of the Tribal casinos.

If there were legal casino sites, you can be sure that the best WY online casinos would offer blackjack. The popular game allows players to combine strategy with luck and offers high payout rates. Popular online blackjack games, such as Atlantic City Blackjack, can be played in only a handful of states, including New Jersey and Delaware.

Online Roulette in WY

There are no legal real money online casino Wyoming sites. So, you cannot play online roulette in Wyoming. Roulette is the ultimate classic game of chance. It involves no skill whatsoever, and winning comes down to pure luck. Thanks to its simple rules, many betting options, and potential for high payouts, roulette is one of the most popular table games.

You would think that American Roulette would be the preferred variant for American players. Yet, European Roulette is a much more popular choice. European Roulette has just a single zero pocket, unlike the American version, making the odds more favorable for players. You can play European Roulette at all the best online casinos in Pennsylvania.

Online Slots in WY

If you want to play online slots in Wyoming with real money, you will again find that WY online gambling laws prevent you from doing so. As games of chance, online slots fall into the category of online gambling games that are not authorized in the state. Land-based casinos are the only place to play slot games in WY and win cash legally.

If online gaming were legal, you can be certain that all the best Wyoming online casinos would offer slots. They are by far the most popular type of casino games in the US, both in land-based casinos and online. If you look at states where online casinos are legal, slots dominate the game selection. Popular titles, such as Starburst and Divine Fortune, are available at many of the best online casinos in West Virginia.

Online Poker in WY

You will not find any legal online poker Wyoming sites. In the same way as all other games of chance, online poker in Wyoming is not permitted under state laws. While online gambling WY laws differentiate between games of skill and games of chance, poker relies too much on luck to be categorized as a skill-based game.

A few states have legalized online poker. In states like New Jersey, you can play cash games, tournaments, and speed poker at online poker platforms. Texas Hold ’em is the most popular and widely available online poker variant at NJ poker sites. If WY online poker sites were legal, you can be sure that Texas Hold ’em would also be the most widely featured game variant.

Land-Based Tribal Casinos in Wyoming

There are no online casinos Wyoming residents can play at, yet the state does have land-based casinos. Following a long-drawn-out legal battle, the Federal Court of Wyoming ruled that the state’s tribes could legally establish casinos on their land. Still, the state’s fierce opposition to land-based casinos means there is little potential for legalizing WY online casinos. You will now find four Tribal casinos in the Wind River Indian Reservation. Below, we have listed the most popular land-based casinos in WY:
Wyoming Land-Based Casinos Overview
Fred Williams Author and Casino Expert
Wind River Hotel & Casino 🍒 800+ slot machines, 🃏 10 table games
Little Wind Casino 🍒 160+ slot machines, 🃏 0 table games
Shoshone Rose Casino & Hotel 🍒 300 slot machines, 🃏 0 table games

Land-Based vs Online Casinos

While online casinos are not a legal form of online gambling in WY, we would like to take a moment to compare land-based vs online casinos. Both types have their pros and cons. Brick and mortar casinos offer a social gaming experience. You can chat with other players, enjoy drinks and a meal, and generally soak up the buzzing atmosphere as you play real money games.

Online casinos, on the other hand, lack the atmosphere of real casinos. Yet, they offer many benefits. For starters, there are no limits to the number of games online casinos can offer. Without space restraints, casino sites can offer hundreds of slots and table games, with wide-reaching limits to suit all types of players. Online gaming is undoubtedly more convenient. Plus, you can claim generous welcome bonuses and promotions that land-based casinos cannot compete with.


What is the Future of Online Casinos in Wyoming?

Given that Wyoming has recently legalized online sports betting, you might expect the legalization of online casinos in WY to follow. However, our research has concluded that Wyoming online casinos are not likely to make an appearance any time soon. You only need to look at the state’s strong opposition to authorizing land-based Tribal casinos to see the attitude towards casino gaming in the state.

Sports betting was authorized in WY to benefit from the revenue WY residents would otherwise spend in neighboring states with legal sports betting. Yet, those states do not permit online casinos. Wyoming is one of the least populated states in the US. Legalizing online casinos would take an awful lot of effort and regulatory reform for small potential returns. As such, there is little motivation to update WY online gambling laws to permit casino gaming online.


The Future of Gambling in Wyoming

When it comes to Wyoming online gambling laws, we expect no changes to the state’s legal landscape. State lawmakers have shown no interested in updating online casino laws in WY. And with online sports betting legalized recently, there are no further developments expected in the state. Still, we are keeping a close eye on the situation and will update this guide if there are any developments.


Conclusion – No Legal WY Online Casinos

Our online casinos Wyoming guide has reached its conclusion. And the main takeaway from our review is that online casinos are not legal in Wyoming. While Wyoming gambling laws have recently been modernized to legalize online sports betting, no signs indicate that Wyoming online casinos will follow soon.

Casino gaming in WY is limited to a small selection of Tribal casinos on the Wind River Indian Reservation. The only way that WY residents can legally play casino games online is to visit a state that has legalized online casinos. So, if you happen to find yourself in CT, DE, MI, NJ, PA, or WV, why not check out what their licensed online casinos have to offer.

Wyoming residents can legally bet on sports online. Yet, legal WY online casinos are not on the cards.
Fred Williams Author and Casino Expert

FAQ

We have created a questions and answers section to wrap up our online gambling Wyoming guide. We collated the most common questions about legal online gambling in Wyoming. In the following section, we have provided short answers to each question, including all the important details you need to know.

1️⃣ Are Wyoming online casinos legal?
Under Wyoming online casino laws, there are no real money online casinos Wyoming residents can play at legally. The only way you can legally play casino games with real money in WY is to visit one of the Tribal casinos in the Wind River Indian Reservation.
2️⃣ Are social casino sites legal in Wyoming?
Wyoming laws define gambling as wagering real money. Given that social casino sites do not involve playing with real cash, WY residents can play at social casinos without falling foul of the law. Real money online casino Wyoming sites may not be legal, yet social casino sites offer a way to play online slots in Wyoming just for fun.
3️⃣ How do I spot a fake Wyoming online gambling site?
The only type of legal online gambling in WY is sports betting sites licensed by the Wyoming Gaming Commission. As such, any other type of gambling site can be categorized as fake. Online casinos accepting WY players are not legit. They could offer poor security, and their games could be rigged. So, you should steer clear of such operators.
4️⃣ What forms of gambling are legal in Wyoming?
There are several types of legal gambling in Wyoming. These include online sports betting, pari-mutual wagering, the state lottery, and charitable gambling. You can also legally gamble at land-based casinos in WY, provided they are in the Wind River Indian Reservation and operated by the state's Native American tribes.