Wyoming Skill Game Revenue Down 25%, Gambling Reforms Pushed Forward

Wyoming’s skill-based amusement games saw a dramatic year-on-year revenue drop of more than a quarter in September. A report by the Wyoming Gaming Commission showed that the total net proceeds from the 14 vendors in the state were $2.3 million during September, down 25.3% from the $3.1 million generated in September 2024.

Bleak Revenue Picture Across the Sector

All but two vendors reported a year-over-year drop in September, while one of the two not reporting a decline, JJVG of Wyoming, was not operating last year.

 The sole bright spot for revenue was TSGS, which increased its net proceeds by 71.3% to $25,021, although that figure was the fourth lowest net revenue return across the sector.

All the remaining 12 vendors recorded losses, including those who were the biggest revenue generators in the previous period, Wyoming Amusement Inc., which dropped 12.1% to $400,371 and Jenkins Music, which was down 24.8%. In total, eight vendors recorded revenue declines of more than 20%.

However, the decline in overall revenue was also affected by the departure of two vendors: Black Hills Novelty and Steel Wheels Gaming, which were included in the September 2024 figures.

Wyoming Lawmakers Push Forward with Local Gambling Reforms

Meanwhile, the Wyoming Legislature’s Select Committee on Gaming has advanced significant gambling reforms, approving two key bills that shift regulatory power to local governments and limit the growth of historic horse racing (HHR) terminals across the state.

The most debated bill, titled “Local Approval for Simulcasting,” passed on a 5-1 vote. It gives municipalities and counties the authority to approve, condition, and revoke simulcasting and HHR permits, a responsibility previously held only by county commissions. Local officials, including Mills Mayor Leah Juarez, had argued that zoning laws alone don’t allow communities to address safety concerns.

The Wyoming gambling bill also reinstates the controversial 100-mile rule, restricting simulcasting near-live racing events unless approved by the permit holder. Lawmakers acknowledged the rule's limitations but retained it to avoid delaying broader reform.

A second bill, 26 LSO 0168, focused on limiting HHR machines, passed 4-2. Initially proposing a 1,200-machine limit per live flat track, the committee amended it to 3,004 to match current approvals with a grandfather clause and restrictions on transferability. The committee also rejected a proposed three-year moratorium on new permits but advanced a separate directive to regulate skills-based gambling at locations like truck stops.