Wyoming Gaming Commission issues warning over illegal gaming sites targeting residents

The Wyoming Gaming Commission has issued a warning to state residents and visitors regarding the prevalence of illegal iGaming websites and applications operating within the Equality State. 

"The Commission emphasizes that such online casinos, poker rooms, and other forms of iGaming are illegal in Wyoming and are not licensed or regulated by the Wyoming Gaming Commission," the regulator said on Thursday.

While online sports betting and fantasy sports are legal in Wyoming, online casino games like slots, blackjack, and roulette for real money remain strictly prohibited. Despite this, numerous unregulated entities continue to target residents, offering illicit iGaming services. 

These operations, often based offshore, include sites that may appear legitimate but lack any regulatory oversight in Wyoming, warned the regulator. Some of these operations have even created Wyoming LLCs and display Wyoming addresses on their websites.

In addition to direct online casino platforms operating without a state license, the Wyoming Gaming Commission has also cautioned residents against using certain "sweepstakes" or "social casino" sites that offer real-money payouts, as they also lack proper state regulation.

Nicholas Larramendy, Executive Director, said: "We want to make it unequivocally clear: no online casino, iGaming, or sweepstakes site is licensed by the Wyoming Gaming Commission, and they are all operating illegally in Wyoming. We strongly encourage everyone to avoid these websites, however, patrons who choose to engage with these unlicensed platforms do so at their own risk.

"The Wyoming Gaming Commission cannot provide assistance or intervention in cases of disputes regarding winnings or other account issues arising from participation in illegal iGaming. Again, because most of these operations are based outside of the United States, enforcement of local laws becomes difficult."

Despite these difficulties in enforcement, the Wyoming Gaming Commission said it will do its best to attempt "to shut down the operation in our state when we become aware of an illegal operation."

Information regarding legitimate, licensed online sports wagering operators and all other licensed forms of legal gaming in Wyoming can be found on the official Wyoming Gaming Commission website at https://gaming.wyo.gov/.

"Our primary responsibility is to protect the integrity of gaming in Wyoming and safeguard its citizens," the Commission added. "We urge anyone with questions about the legality of a particular online gambling site or service to contact our office directly."