The legal Wyoming sports betting industry is up and running
On Wednesday, the Cowboy State became the latest jurisdiction to join the regulated US sports betting market. Wyoming legalized sports wagering in April this year, and the state regulator has been working on a tight schedule to launch the industry by Sept. 1, in time for the start of the NFL season.
The market took off shortly after a special Wyoming Gaming Commission meeting, during which the regulator approved license bids by DraftKings and BetMGM, allowing them to start taking wagers in the state after the close of the meeting. Both brands went live shortly after getting the greenlight from the Commission, with DraftKings being the first to book a legal wager in the Cowboy State.
The successful launches mark the 13th and 14th states for DraftKings and BetMGM, respectively.
Other brands that have expressed interest in offering bookmaking services in WY include SuperBook Sports, FanDuel, and Penn National Gaming’s Barstool Sports, but the three are yet to receive clearance from the Wyoming Gaming Commission.
DraftKings, BetMGM Excited to Take the Lead in WY
The Wednesday launch gives DraftKings and BetMGM a clear head start in Wyoming sports betting, and the two companies are thrilled about being the first to enter in the state’s newly legalized market.
In a statement during the launch, DraftKings Co-founder and President Matt Kalish said:
‘’Legalized sports betting has seen widespread growth in just three years and the DraftKings Sportsbook has been at the center of the action. We are thrilled that Wyoming sports bettors have the opportunity to experience the highly accessible and immersive fan experience along with best-in-class consumer protections that our product offers millions of skin-in-the-game sports fans.’’
BetMGM’s statement was delivered by CEO Adam Greenblatt, who expressed the company’s excitement at being among the first to go live in Wyoming. The CEO also said that the state is important in its expansion plan as the brand continues to work towards bolstering its presence West.
‘’We’re ecstatic that BetMGM is one of the first mobile sports betting platforms to launch in Wyoming, just in time for the start of the football season. Wyoming is an important state for us as we continue to expand BetMGM’s footprint in the West. We’re confident that its sports fans will enjoy the BetMGM experience,’’ said Greenblatt.
The BetMGM online sportsbook is also live in neighboring Colorado, and it has a market-access agreement for South Dakota sports betting with Liv Hospitality.
Both DraftKings and BetMGM are also looking forward to being among the first operators to launch in Arizona when sports betting kicks off in the state next week.
More Operators to Join WY Sports Betting Soon
The launch of the DraftKings and BetMGM wagering apps in the newly regulated WY market marks the beginning of a new era for sports fans in the state, and more operators are expected to introduce their offering to bettors in the jurisdiction in the coming days.
In June, the state regulator revealed that five gaming operators had written to the commission, expressing interest in entering the state. Apart from the two companies that have been cleared to launch, the others are Flutter Entertainment’s FanDuel, Barstool Sports, and the SBO-pco owned SuperBook Sports.
The Wyoming Gaming Commission is expected to hold several special meetings to approve more operators in the near future.
The precinct’s gambling law allows the regulator to issue at least five online permits, and there is no maximum limit to the number of skins that can be licensed in the state.
