Wyoming Online Casino Real Money – Gambling Laws in The Equality State

Land-Based Casinos in Wyoming

There are four tribal casinos in the state, all located in Fremont County.

All casinos offer slots and video poker. Some offer table games like Blackjack. Casinos like 789 Smokeshop and Casino also offer bingo and video bingo games.

Anyone 18 or older can play at tribal casinos.

Horse & Dog Tracks

There are three horse racing tracks in WY: Wyoming Downs Racetrack, Sweetwater Events Complex, and Energy Downs at Cam-Plex Morningside Park.

Each facility hosts live racing 16 to 20 days per year.

Players can bet on live horse racing and simulcast races at these facilities. Presently, the Cowboy state has 35 Off-Track Betting parlors (OTB) that offer simulcast betting and Historical Horse Racing machines.

These machines allow betting on previously held races but are presented like slot machines. HHR machines can be found at racetracks and OTB facilities.

WY has no dog racing tracks, but you can bet on simulcast dog races at OTB facilities.

Online Sports Betting

WY is one of two states where online sports betting is the only legal option for sports betting (no land-based option). It launched in September 2021, and six operators are licensed to take bets.

The Wyoming Gaming Commission regulates online sports betting and requires vendors to be licensed. Players can bet on all professional and college sports, including collegiate games.

WY players cannot make prop bets on college sports. Regulated sportsbooks also cannot take wagers on politics or entertainment events, such as the Oscars.

Unlike many states, you only need to be 18 or older to bet on sports in this state.

Bingo Halls and Charitable Gambling

Bingo, pull tabs, and Calcutta wagering are legal forms of charitable gambling in the state. The Wyoming Gaming Commission regulates this type of gambling and requires facilities to be licensed.

Organizations must be active for three years before being eligible for a license to offer bingo and pull tabs.

Calcutta wagering can only be held at bona fide, nationally chartered veterans, charitable, religious, or educational organizations.

Nonprofit, local civic, and service clubs incorporated in WY are also eligible.

Under regulations, 75% of all net proceeds must go to charities or benevolent purposes within one year. For Calcutta wagering, 10% of all wagers on a contest must go to charities or benevolent purposes within one year.

Social Gaming at Home

Social gambling can be held in private residences, provided that bets are incidental and part of an authentic social relationship held between players.

However, the law also prohibits any form of professional gambling or the participation of professional gamblers in games.

For example, if a professional poker player participates in a home poker game, that game becomes illegal.

While not explicitly stated in the social gambling exception, a private home game operator should not profit from the endeavor.

Wyoming’s definition of professional gambling could apply to a home game that collects rake or turns a profit for the operator outside of playing the game.

Poker Rooms and Clubs

WY casinos do not offer live poker, and the state has not regulated live poker rooms. Any potential real-money poker rooms advertised online operate outside of Wyoming law.

Under state law, home game poker is legal, provided that professional gamblers do not participate and the game is not operated for a profit.

Free-play poker leagues, such as bar poker leagues, are also legal.

Online poker is in a legal gray area, meaning players can access out-of-state online poker rooms.

Eight-Liners

Eight-liners, depending on their setup, could be found in WY. If they are set up as slot games, they could be found in tribal casinos.

Since the Cowboy state allows for Historical Horse Racing games, these games could be found at OTB locations. Otherwise, these machines are illegal.

Casino Cruises

Wyoming does offer riverboats or any form of cruise gambling. Players have to travel to another state, like California, to take a gambling cruise.

Online Slots

Offshore online casinos offer hundreds of games from providers like Rival, RealTime Gaming, BGaming, and more.

You’ll find everything from classic to Megaways slots with fun themes and massive prizes.

Keep an eye out for jackpot slots. The best jackpot slots offer progressive jackpots that grow until hit.

These jackpots often exceed $100,000, with a few over $1 million.

Vegas-style slots are legal at tribal casinos, or you can play Historical Horse Racing games that simulate slots. The only option for a wider real money slot variety is playing slots at offshore online casinos.

Online Poker

Offshore online poker sites offer Texas Hold’em, Omaha poker, and mixed games like Seven Card Stud and H.O.R.S.E. However, most of the action is limited to Texas Hold’em cash games and tournaments.

You can generally find micro, low, and middle-stakes cash games.

Tournaments range from micro to high-stakes events with buy-ins of $1,000 or more. Some events have guarantees that rival live poker tournaments in Las Vegas or Atlantic City.

Live poker in Wyoming is primarily limited to home games. Your best option for perfecting your game is through out-of-state online poker rooms and video poker casinos.

Blackjack

You can find multiple versions of online Blackjack, including Perfect Pairs Blackjack, Pontoon, 21+3 Blackjack, European Blackjack, and more.

Some casinos offer lower minimum wagers than live casinos, and due to computerized automation, you’ll enjoy a much faster pace of play.

Some tribal casinos offer Blackjack, but options are limited. The best option for playing Blackjack is at online casinos.

Live Dealer Games

Live online casinos feature human dealers who deal cards or conduct other gaming actions while the software handles betting and payouts.

tribal casinos are limited to a single county in WY. Live dealer games at gambling sites give you a simulated casino experience from your home.

Moreover, they are also a perfect choice if you want to play higher stakes, as they generally offer the highest limits of all online casino games.

Is Online Gambling Legal in Wyoming?

There are some forms of legal online gambling in the state.

Online sports betting was legalized in 2021, and the state has six licensed online sportsbooks. Wyoming and Tennessee are the only states that regulate online sports betting and not retail sports betting.

Fantasy sports were legalized simultaneously as online sports betting with the same licensing requirements.

Otherwise, the other form of regulated online gambling is Advance Deposit Wagering for horse and dog racing. 

Online casinos remain a legal gray area. The state does not mention internet or computer gambling in its laws. Players can access gambling sites that are regulated and based elsewhere to play for real money.

Professional gambling is illegal in WY, so one could argue that professional online gambling is illegal.

Gambling Is Risking of Property For Gain

Wyoming law gives a broad definition of gambling as:

“[…] risking any property for gain contingent in whole or in part upon lot, chance, the operation of a gambling device or the happening or outcome of an event, including a sporting event, over which the person taking a risk has no control.”

Gambling laws do not apply to “Bona fide contests of skill, speed, strength or endurance in which awards are made only to entrants or the owners of entries.”

Also, there is an exemption for wagers “incidental to a bona fide social relationship. (Chapter 6-7-101 of WY Statutes)

Illegal gambling in Wyoming is a misdemeanor crime that carries a fine of up to $750, up to six months in jail, or both.

Professional Gambling Is Illegal

Wyoming makes professional gambling a crime. Professional gambling is classified as one of two things:

• Aiding or inducing someone to gamble with the intent to profit off them.
• Participating in a gambling activity and having a lesser chance of losing or a greater chance of winning than an average player.

The penalties for participating in professional gambling are up to six times as severe.

Professional gambling is a felony punishable by a fine of up to $3,000, up to three years in prison, or both. (Section 6-7-102 of WY Statutes)

Skill-Based Amusement Games Are Legal

Another form of gambling available in select locations is skill-based amusement games. These gambling games allow players to use skill as a primary means to play. 

These games have a limit of $3 per play or round and a maximum payout of $3,000.

They must be in a clearly marked restricted area, and only those 21 and older can play them. (Section 11-25-303 of WY Statutes)

Historical Horse Racing Is Legal

WY horse racetracks and OTB facilities may legally offer Historical Horse Racing machines to players.

These machines simulate slot machines, but the data is based on historical horse and dog racing.

Several states offer historical horse racing machines, but WY is one of the only states that allow historical dog races to be part of the gaming rotation. (Section 11-25-102(a),(v)&(vii)(A),(B) of WY Statutes)

Online Sports Betting Is Legal

The state passed online sports betting legislation in April 2021 and launched its market in September 2021.

Wyoming and Tennessee are the only states to regulate online sports betting without retail sports betting.

Sports betting is only available through licensed sportsbooks and is regulated by the Wyoming Gaming Commission. There are six sportsbooks presently. Fantasy sports were regulated under the same bill as sports betting.

Sports betting is legal for anyone 18 and older, and all sports are eligible. The only restrictions in betting are for college prop bets, political bets, and entertainment bets. (Section 9-24-101 of WY Statutes)

Only Play at Licensed Casinos

Legitimate gambling sites will be licensed by a primary online regulator, such as the Curacao Gaming Control Board.

To become licensed, a casino must meet strict standards for player safety, fair gaming, and responsible gambling.

Do not play at a casino that is unlicensed or claims “self-regulation.”

Look for Trusted Software Providers

Look at the software providers partnered with a casino.

You’re looking for trusted providers like Real Time Gaming, BGaming, Rival, BetSoft, and others.

If the casino uses software from providers you’ve never heard of, or if it uses proprietary software only, play elsewhere.

Look for Reviews from Other Wyominites

Work gets around about fraudulent online casinos.

Do your research for feedback from other players regarding casino sites, especially those from Wyoming.

Look for patterns of fraud or non-payment. Taking a few minutes to research can help you avoid a scam.

Use Secure Payment Method

Always look for secure online banking options when depositing at gambling sites.

This includes credit cards, e-wallets like Neteller, and Bitcoin. Avoid using third-party providers, except for Google or Apple Pay, as they are secure providers.

Read the Fine Print

Please take a few minutes to read the website’s terms and conditions.

Focus on the fine print regarding deposits, withdrawals, and bonuses. This is usually where rogue casinos insert predatory terms that make it impossible to clear bonuses or cash out.

Also, you should play elsewhere if casino terms are vague or important information is missing.