Wyoming Committee Backs Sweepstakes Casino Ban For 2027 Session

Wyoming lawmakers have unanimously agreed to sponsor a draft ban on online sweepstakes games. The proposal would make operating a covered platform a felony, but it has not become law.

Good To Know

• The draft targets the 2027 legislative session.
• Wyoming permits online sports betting and fantasy sports, but prohibits online casinos.
• Industry representatives argue the wording could also affect ordinary promotions.

Enforcement Disputes Drive Wyoming Sweepstakes Debate

Complaints about sweepstakes casinos currently pass between the Wyoming Gaming Commission and the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Unit. Each agency handles a different set of laws, leaving uncertainty over who should act.

Gaming Commission Executive Director Nicholas Larramendy told lawmakers:

“They give it to us. We look at it. Then we get the argument that this is under consumer protection,”

He described the referrals as a “constant cycle.”

The legal distinction centres on how sweepstakes products operate. Platforms use promotional currencies and free entry routes, while operators maintain that they offer promotions rather than unlicensed gambling.

A 2026 legislative research report adds useful context: Wyoming prize promotion rules prohibit requiring payment to win a prize. The report also records complaints from sweepstakes players who could not collect winnings. Free entry therefore sits at the centre of the legal argument, while payout disputes create a separate enforcement problem.

VGW attorney Bill Gantz warned lawmakers that the proposed wording could reach beyond casino style platforms and restrict sweepstakes linked to purchases of goods or services.

Former state Sen. Affie Ellis, an attorney representing Bally’s Corporation, also distinguished the operating models. She said sweepstakes and online casinos can display similar slots, blackjack tables and jackpot animations while functioning differently.

Meanwhile, the debate comes during another year of growing legal gambling activity. Larramendy put 2025 wagers at approximately $2.7 billion and projected that the total could exceed $3 billion in 2026. Those figures measure money wagered, rather than operator revenue.

The Select Committee on Gaming has also examined local authority, horse racing, responsible gambling funding and prediction markets. Its unanimous decision follows discussions over whether Wyoming should license sweepstakes platforms or prohibit them.

The Gaming Commission previously warned residents about unlicensed online gambling, including sweepstakes and social casino platforms offering cash payouts. However, committee sponsorship alone creates no new offence. The Legislature must pass the proposal and complete the enactment process before the draft changes state law.

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