A Wyoming House online-gambling measure that included online poker has suffered a quick death in the first House committee where it was briefly considered. House Bill 0162 was shelved this week after being called for consideration in its first committee stop, the House’s Travel, Recreation, Wildlife & Cultural Resources committee, where it received almost no support.
Following a motion by State Rep. Cathay Connelly to begin consideration of the bill, HB 0162 didn’t even receive a second from any of the committee’s other members, rendering it dead and likely ending any iGaming movement in Wyoming for the year.
In failing to receive any consideration, the measure fared worse than a similar effort in 2024. Last year’s HB 0120 passed its initial committee hurdle but failed a full Wyoming House vote on a 25-36 tally when it would have needed 41 ‘aye’ votes, a two-thirds majority, to pass. With no additional support for this year’s effort in evidence, the Travel committee chose not to waste additional time and effort considering the measure.
Best chances for US iGaming expansion remain in Northeast
Given the broad opposition to iGaming authorization Wyoming’s bill faced in 2024, including from the state’s gaming commission, HB 0162 was a longshot in 2025 at best. Wyoming joins Virginia as US states where online-gambling legislation was introduced but suffered a quick demise.
However, prospects for other states, largely in the Northeast, remain significantly brighter. Maryland, New York, New Hampshire, and Indiana are just four of the states where iGaming measures including online poker have already been introduced in 2025 and are beginning to move forward.
Should any US state approve an iGaming bill this year, it will top 2024’s dismal results. Last year, no new US states joined the seven states where online poker has already been approved, although not all of those states have seen the launch of live, real-money sites.