Casper council hears state gaming commission briefing and schedules first reading of moratorium on new historic horse‑racing parlors

Nick Laramendi, executive director of the Wyoming Gaming Commission, briefed the Casper City Council on May 23 about how state law governs historic horse‑racing terminals, skill‑based amusement games and online sports wagering, and how recent legislation shifts some location‑approval authority to municipalities.

Laramendi said the commission licenses off‑track betting (OTB) locations and terminals statewide and inspects machines through independent laboratories. "As of today, there's 43 approved OTB locations and 3,579 active HHR machines" statewide, he said, adding that Natrona County has 10 approved locations with eight inside Casper. "Those eight locations within the city of Casper have been approved for a total of 648 terminals; 516 of those are currently active," Laramendi said.

He outlined how different gambling types are regulated and taxed. "Historic horse racing is taxed on total handle at 1.9 percent," he said. "Skill‑based amusement games are taxed on net proceeds at 20 percent; of that, 45 percent goes to cities and counties, 45 percent to the School Foundation Program and 10 percent to the commission." Laramendi also noted that online sports wagering is limited to personal devices and "you won't have any brick‑and‑mortar sportsbooks" under current statute.

Laramendi gave local revenue figures for 2025 that he attributed to these activities: roughly $2.3 million to the city of Casper and about $2.895 million to Natrona County from historic horse racing, and about $60,327 to the city and $139,872 to the county from skill‑based amusement games.

Council members asked for clarification about two recent state measures. Laramendi described Senate File 46 as addressing skill‑based games and House/ Senate File 45 as the statute that gives municipalities a role in approving HHR simulcast locations beginning July 1; he said operators have until the end of their current permit term (in many cases through Dec. 31, 2027) to obtain any required local approvals. "If they don't come to our office with some sort of local approval, whether it be from the county or the municipality, our office is not granting them a license," Laramendi said.

Councilors raised concerns about how the city's draft moratorium language might be interpreted. Staff member Eric said the city's intent was to apply a six‑month moratorium to new historic horse‑racing parlors only, not to skill‑based amusement games. "The intent of the moratorium, as I understand it, would be to apply it to historic horse racing," Eric said. He and Laramendi urged the council to draft the ordinance to target specific activities (for example, "simulcasting") to avoid unintentionally restricting lawful charitable bingo or other games.

City staff told council members they will revise the moratorium language to make it more precise ahead of the ordinance's first reading. Council voted to place the moratorium ordinance on the agenda for first reading at the council's first June meeting; staff said they expect to present a revised draft by that time.

Other business included a reminder that the operating budget will be reviewed at the next meeting and that a nonexclusive facility lease for Mike Lansing Stadium appears on the consent agenda after review by the Parks & Recreation advisory board.

The council set next steps for staff to return with a revised moratorium draft and supporting data from the Gaming Commission before first reading in June.