CHEYENNE —Ever hear of the Draft Kings or FanDuel?
They are two online betting platforms that drew the most Wyoming customers and their money last year.
Those two platforms were responsible for a large part of the $1.8 million in taxable revenue that the state collected from online gambling in 2025.
Last year also saw growth in complaints about online gambling, including some irregularities and the danger to addicts and would-be addicts.
The Wyoming Gaming Commission issued a press release in 2025 informing consumers to carefully choose legitimate, licensed online sports wagering platforms, and avoid online gaming platforms claiming to offer casino games in Wyoming. The Commission, the release said, routinely receives complaints from sweepstakes casino players across the country, due to their inability to cash out their winnings.
According to a recent report in “Governing.com.,” American small-time gamblers legally bet nearly $167 billion on sports last year.
The writer, and other publications, have focused on the plight of young men who get hooked on internet gambling.
But, the main story in the recent issue of “AARP Bulletin” deals with senior citizens who tumble into the same addiction swamp.
Both groups are gambling more, and lose more money, by industry blanket advertising, custom-tailored marketing and deceptive features in game design, according to Don Feeney, planning director for the Minnesota State Lottery, as quoted in the Bulletin.
After gambling away their savings, the seniors seek help for what has escalated from a distraction to an addiction, according to helpline calls.
Connecticut’s Council on Problem Gambling reported that one in nine calls comes from someone 55 or older. Nevada’s organization said one in three calls there are from gamblers aged 50 and over.
One explanation the experts give for the bump in this newer former of gambling is that online betting is too easy.
All you need now is to be close to a computer and you can play, too, from your easy chair or your bed.
Meanwhile, the Wyoming Legislature's Select Committee on Gaming met last week on its interim study.
The committee discussed how best to distribute $300,000 per year from online sports betting income to local governments. The money currently goes to the Wyoming Department of Health, which then allocates it to the 23 counties for their programs to help problem gamblers and their addiction.
This only amounts to about $13,043 per county, which is too small an amount to do much.
Co-Chairman Rep. Jayme Lien, R-Casper, said more money is needed. She recommended that $300,000 be contributed to gambling addiction treatment from every type of gambling in the state. That would create a larger pool of funds for these programs.
Sen. John Kolb, R-Rock Springs, the chairman, recommended that at it's next meeting, the committee should bring back a previously stalled bill to create a professional gaming commission.
The state now has a volunteer gaming commission.
Kolb emphasized his recommendation is not to discredit the current volunteer commission, but recognition of the rapid surge of gaming in the state.
A professional commission is needed to keep step with a development that “blew up into a $2.7 billion industry,” Kolb said.
He is right.
Gambling was another boom that came quick and heavy.
It wasn’t too long ago that bingo, calcutta and parimutuel races were the only types of gambling that were legal in Wyoming.
There’s no going back now. Not with all that money rolling in.
The state needs to get equipped to deal with it.
Contact Joan Barron at 307-632-2534 or jmbarron@bresnan.net
