In a unanimous vote, Wyoming’s Select Committee on Gaming moved forward with draft legislation that would criminalize the operation of online sweepstakes games as a felony offense. The measure is intended to eliminate confusion over whether such games fall under gambling law or consumer‑protection statutes.
Current legal landscape
State law already prohibits online casinos, while online sports wagering and fantasy‑sports contests remain legal. However, the status of online sweepstakes has been ambiguous. Regulators have been uncertain whether complaints should be handled by the Wyoming Consumer Protection and Antitrust Unit or the Wyoming Gaming Commission.
“When consumer protection gets complaints about online sweepstakes, they look at it as gambling,” explained Nicholas Larramendy, head of the Wyoming Gaming Commission, during the committee hearing. “They give it to us. We look at it. Then we get the argument that this is under consumer protection.” Larramendy noted that the back‑and‑forth creates a “constant cycle,” and asserted that the proposed bill would make clear that such games constitute illegal gambling.
Industry perspective
Former Republican state Senator Affie Ellis, now an attorney representing Bally’s Corporation, highlighted how online sweepstakes can appear identical to online casino offerings. “They look like maybe the same slot machine, same blackjack table, same jackpot animations, but they are two fundamentally different products,” Ellis said. While online casinos require real money wagers and pay out cash, online sweepstakes are advertised as free‑to‑play promotions under Wyoming’s Consumer Protection Act.
Attorney Bill Gantz, representing VGW—a gaming company that has operated online sweepstakes in Wyoming since 2012—argued that the legislation would be overly broad. “This is over broad and it does conflict with the idea that a sweepstakes in connection with a purchase of a good or service is currently valid in Wyoming and should remain valid,” Gantz said. He pointed out that federal law already requires an “alternative method of entry” that allows participants to enter without making a purchase.
Economic context
Gambling activity in Wyoming has surged dramatically over the past decade. Larramendy reported that about $2.7 billion was wagered across all legal gambling forms last year, and that 2026 is on track to exceed $3 billion, setting another record‑breaking year.
The rapid growth has prompted lawmakers to strengthen regulatory oversight. In 2025, the state created the Select Committee on Gaming to address emerging issues in the industry. In addition to the proposed sweepstakes ban, the committee also advanced legislation to update fingerprinting requirements for certain individuals regulated by the Wyoming Gaming Commission.
Next steps
The draft bill now heads to the full Senate and House for further debate. If enacted, Wyoming would join a small number of states that explicitly criminalize online sweepstakes operations, providing clearer guidance for both regulators and industry participants.
Stakeholders on both sides of the issue will continue to testify as the legislation moves through the legislative process, ensuring that Wyoming’s gambling framework reflects the state’s values of personal responsibility, family protection, and constitutional liberty.
Original reporting: Oil City News (Casper WY) — read the source article.
