Wyoming gamblers struggling with addiction now have a way to put distance between themselves and the betting window.
The Wyoming Gaming Commission agreed on Dec. 8 to participate in the National Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program (NVSEP), which allows players to opt out of wagering activities in 21 U.S. jurisdictions.
NVSEP enables gamblers to sign up online to ban themselves from placing bets on horse races, online sports, and skill-based games, such as Texas Hold ‘Em, rummy, and other card games, for periods of one, three, five, or 10 years, or for a lifetime.
The system works by allowing gamblers or those who aren’t interested in gambling to essentially give the state-backed program their name and identification to create a voluntary ban that prevents gambling services and casinos from allowing them to gamble, give out comps or pay out winnings.
Most self-exclusion programs cannot be reversed until a self-selected time period has elapsed.
“The Wyoming Gaming Commission is committed to fostering an environment of integrity, fairness, and player protection for all participants,” Executive Director Nick Larramendy said in a statement.
He said joining the program gives problem gamblers the power to curb their addictions by having a system that covers many gambling services in the state — and in other states, "providing wider geographical coverage than ever before for individuals who feel it is the right step.”
So far, at least 20 Wyoming residents have signed up for NVSEP, which is operated by idPair, a New Jersey player protection and safer gaming technology company specializing in self-exclusion and risk detection.
More than 100,000 people in the U.S. have used a self-exclusion program.
Although Wyoming officials maintain that NVSEP will help curb compulsive gambling, addiction experts warn it may offer only limited protection.
“It serves as a deterrent or barrier for some who are worried about being caught, embarrassed, and/or arrested for trespass (at gaming establishments from which they have been banned),” said Lia Nower, who is the director of the Center for Gambling Studies at Rutgers University. “If people want to get around self-exclusion, however, they will do it.”
An April 2025 study by Wallet Hub, measuring 20 key metrics including the presence of illegal betting operations, lottery sales per capita, and the share of adults with gambling disorders, found that Montana is the third most gambling-addicted state, while Wyoming is 17th.
Google data from within Wyoming indicates consistent growth in year-over-year online searches for “problem gambling treatment”, “compulsive gambling treatment”, “how to stop sports betting”, and "how to quit sports betting”, according to Denver-based Kindbridge Behavioral Health.
Moreover, a 2022 WyoLotto survey found that 2.5% of respondents believe they have a gambling addiction.
Wyoming Gamblers
It’s difficult to find gamblers who will publicly discuss their compulsion.
However, in September, a woman from Green River named Amber wrote a letter to Cowboy State Daily chiding lawmakers for failing to address the issue.
“Wyoming’s leaders insist we don’t have a gambling problem,” she wrote. “But as someone living with a severe gambling addiction, I can tell you: we do. These so-called ‘skill games’ and ‘not casinos' are not harmless entertainment.
"They are predatory, and they are destroying lives in our communities. I know because I am one of the people they’ve harmed. Gambling has consumed me more powerfully than drugs or alcohol ever did. It led me to lies, shame, and financial devastation.”
Is it Effective?
Nower noted that short exclusion terms, such as those that last only a year, have little impact, adding that motivated problem gamblers can always find a place to bet, such as offshore gaming operations.
“Our research shows people rebound to the same levels of gambling or higher after one year of self-exclusions,” Nower said. “The longer terms or permanent self-exclusion can be beneficial for some people.”
After an individual self-excludes through NVSEP, their identifying information is shared with all permitted gaming establishments, prohibiting them from gambling.
They are also barred from receiving or using complimentary goods, services, and promotional credits. People who opt out are also not allowed to collect winnings or recover losses.
Nower described self-exclusion as “one tool in the toolbox”, adding that people are responsible for their own behavior. “If they don't want help or want to gamble to excess, there aren't many strategies that will keep them from harm,” she said.
The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health reported in a 2023 study that while self-exclusion is an effective responsible gambling strategy, it needs increased awareness and technology-assisted monitoring.
John Puls, a licensed psychotherapist and certified addiction professional in Florida, said he encourages clients to sign up for the NVSEP program as a “symbolic” gesture to demonstrate their commitment to abstain from problematic gambling.
However, exclusion is not enough on its own to break the destructive cycle and must include professional help and possibly medication to control impulsivity, Puls said.
“Excluding yourself from casinos without any additional therapeutic work is often not successful,” he added, “It needs to be combined with meaningful psychotherapy with somebody who specializes in gambling addiction.”
Scott Schwebke can be reached at scott@cowboystatedaily.com.
