The gaming market in Wyoming is growing rapidly, but the state is working hard on expanding other types of gambling, including online casino gambling.
Online gaming legalization in Wyoming:
Representatives Jon Conrad, Robert Davis, and others, sponsored House Bill 120 that will, if approved, make significant progress toward legalizing online casino gambling in the state.
Gaming has been legal in the state since 2021 when Governor Mark Gordon signed House Bill 133 which legalized sports betting in Wyoming. The efforts towards legalizing all types of gambling are progressing with the new House Bill 120, and if approved, the state’s Gaming Commission will be able to offer gambling licenses to up to five interactive gaming operators.
The license would last for five years, and the initial issuing fee would be $100.000. After it expires, the renewal would be permitted, and it would cost $50.000.
The vendor approvals would cost $10.000 upon issuing, and the renewal, which would also be required after five years, would cost $5.000.
The proposed tax rate in the state would be 10%. House Bill 120 also addresses problem gambling issues, so it’s proposed that $300.000 of annual tax revenue would be used to fund various problem gambling programs.
As SBC Americas reports, what differentiates Wyoming from other states where online gambling is legal are the reciprocal agreements between the state and other jurisdictions. This opportunity would be granted to the operators since the whole state has a population of 548.000, and it is the state with the lowest number of residents in the whole of America.
Efforts across the whole country:
However, Wyoming isn’t the only state that started the new year with new plans related to the online casino gaming industry.
In Illinois, the lawmakers placed a House Bill 2239 in order to permit the operators to launch iGaming operations in the state after the license is issued. The license in the state would cost $250.000.
The license renewal will be required every year and it would cost $100.000 and operators will be able to offer up to three skins.
The lawmakers in Maryland also submitted an iGaming bill. Senator Ron Watson sponsored Senate Bill 603, which will allow the residents to decide upon the destiny of iGaming in the state in a referendum.
In Hawaii, Senator Ronald D. Kouchi placed a Senate Bill 3376 which would make a significant impact on the gambling scene in the state, since it proposes establishing a Gaming Control Commission and opening the doors to sports betting and online poker operations.
The significant efforts are reported in New York as well, but it’s a long shot since Governor Kathy Hochul currently doesn’t have a budget for establishing new operations.