The Wyoming Legislature’s Management Council voted this week to advance a package of gambling-related bills aimed at tightening regulatory control and making money laundering a felony in the state.
The group of legislative leaders also rejected a contentious proposal placing a statutory cap on Historic Horse Racing (HHR) terminals.
The five bill drafts, originally developed by the Select Committee on Gaming, were discussed Tuesday as lawmakers weighed Wyoming’s free-market values against the necessity for market regulation and government control in a controversial and growing industry.
No cap on HHR machines
The Management Council voted 5-4 against moving forward a bill aimed at imposing a limit of 3,004 HHR terminals per operator per permitted live track.
Vice Chairman Sen. Bo Biteman, R-Ranchester, raised questions regarding the entire premise of HHR.
Pete Liguori, partner and executive vice president of Wyoming Horse Racing, stated that attendance at live races averages between 500 and 600 people per race day. Biteman challenged the current industry model, saying the money is primarily in the machines and not truly intended to support the live horse racing industry.
"This is, to me, bizarre that we’re allowing gambling in the state of Wyoming only to support one industry where the people don’t even really show up,” he said. "So then when we try to regulate it, we get a room full of lawyers and lobbyists to protect it because there’s huge money involved.”
https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/wyoming-lawmakers-advance-bills-in-attempt-to-limit-gambling/article_cc47c9ec-e0c5-490c-a998-9dfafa18908f.html