As gambling facilities continue to pop up across the state, lawmakers advanced a bill Thursday that would grant cities and towns greater authority in allowing the businesses to set up shop at new locations.
The conversation has been ongoing for several years as elected officials, gambling industry representatives, lawmakers and Wyomingites all seek to find common ground on when government can intervene in the free market.
If approved, Senate File 45, “Local approval for simulcasting,” would represent a shift in how Wyoming regulates the expanding industry of historic horse racing (HHR) and off-track betting (OTB). Currently, while the vast majority of gambling facilities are located within municipal limits, the authority to approve these permits rests solely with the Wyoming Gaming Commission and county commissioners.
