DraftKings, BetMGM Go Live in Wyoming, Beat NFL Deadline

• Wyoming Meets Sept 1 Sports Betting Deadline in Time for NFL Season
• DraftKings, BetMGM Sportsbooks Get Head Start in Wyoming
• It Took 6-Months to Launch Wyoming Sports Betting – That’s Quick! 

Wyoming Meets Sept 1 Sports Betting Deadline in Time for NFL Season

On Wednesday, Wyoming managed to launch legal sports betting by its September 1 deadline when two sportsbooks – DraftKings Sportsbook, BetMGM – went live, creating yet another United States sports gambling market in an industry that is experiencing a dramatic upsurge.

At a special meeting, the Wyoming Gaming Commission (WGC) voted yes to giving DraftKings and BetMGM each a coveted sports betting license, making Wyoming the 13th state to invite DraftKings to operate within its boundaries and the 14th state for BetMGM.

The timing is perfect since it happened over a week before the start of the upcoming NFL season on September 9th, and the potential profits are mind-blowing, since Wyoming stands to generate between $2.23 million and $4.7 million in annual revenue for the state according to industry calculations.

It was evident that BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt was happy with Wednesday’s approval:

We’re ecstatic that BetMGM is one of the first mobile sports betting platforms to launch in Wyoming, just in time for the start of the football season. Wyoming is an important state for us as we continue to expand BetMGM’s footprint in the West. We’re confident that its sports fans will enjoy the BetMGM experience.

DraftKings, BetMGM Sportsbooks Get Head Start in Wyoming

The September 1 license approvals also gives these two sportsbooks a nice head start in the Cowboy State where other sportsbooks will soon be setting up shop, with the WGC required to issue a minimum of five licenses to qualified applicants.

Some of the other applicants, including SuperBook USA, Golden Entertainment, and PointsBet, are still waiting to find out if the WGC finds them “qualified” to receive a betting license in Wyoming, something that could be decided in one of the special meetings that WGC President Bob Davis expects to hold soon.

Meanwhile, the two approved sportsbook can begin collecting new Wyoming bettors and taking bets, a customer-prioritized process that DraftKings co-founder and President Matt Kalish does not take lightly:

We are thrilled that Wyoming sports bettors have the opportunity to experience the highly accessible and immersive fan experience along with best in class consumer protections that our product offers millions of skin-in-the-game sports fans.

Compared to most states, Wyoming’s sports betting launch has moved quickly.

It Took 6-Months to Launch Wyoming Sports Betting – That’s Quick!

It was only six months ago in March 2021 that the Wyoming House of Representatives reconsidered the sports betting bill (HB 133) that they had initially voted against and passed it, as did the Senate, allowing Governor Mark Gordon to sign it into law on April 6.

Since that time, lawmakers expressed an interest in a September 1 deadline, though WGC Executive Director Charles Moore had his doubts, regardless he made sure his commission quickly drafted a set of rules that were eventually finalized by August 2.

That’s when the September 1 special meeting was planned with the goal being to approve the first to licenses, a quick turnaround when compared with other states who have been taking up to a year and more to launch their own sports betting operations.

Now, Wyoming bettors are set to gamble on the NFL and more and the state can begin taking advantage of the extra revenue this will likely generate, a welcome boon in a financially challenging time.