The Senate Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Committee voted to move Senate File 109 – the Wyoming Gaming Commission Board Member bill to the Senate floor for debate. The bill, which is sponsored by District 8 Senator Affie Ellis, would prevent Wyoming Gaming Commission officials and staff from engaging in gaming activities while regulating them. The proposed legislation would bring Wyoming in alignment with the rest of the country’s gaming industry standards.
Ellis said ensuring integrity and fairness is critical to the credibility of Wyoming’s gaming industry and that integrity is called into question when gaming commissioners are allowed to benefit off the games and activities they regulate. For decades, gambling was generally prohibited in Wyoming. However, Wyoming established the Pari-Mutuel Commission in 1967 to authorize activities such as live horse racing. In 2013, the Legislature allowed the Commission to regulate the use of gaming machines, often referred to as “historic horse racing machines,” to find a revenue stream that would help support the continuation of live horse racing.
In 2020, the Legislature transformed the Pari-Mutuel Commission into the Gaming Commission and assigned the Commission to regulate on-line sports wagering and “skill based amusement games” commonly found in truck stops, bars and restaurants. The bill now heads to the Senate floor for future consideration.
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Last modified: February 25, 2022