Gambling amendments.

Plain English Breakdown

The summary does not cover all aspects of the bill's changes.

Changes to Gambling Laws

This law changes rules about gambling, specifying when social and charitable activities are exceptions to gambling laws.

What This Bill Does

• Limits the exception for social gambling to games that are incidental to a genuine social relationship, conducted privately without compensation.
• Specifies that raffles or drawings for charity are legal only if all proceeds go to charity.
• Defines 'profit' as any financial gain from gambling activities.
• Creates a definition of 'bona fide social relationship' meaning a real friendship not established just for gambling.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who play games with money in private settings
• Charities that run raffles or drawings

Terms To Know

Profit

Any financial gain from gambling activities.

Bona fide social relationship

A genuine social connection between people, not just a connection made for gambling purposes.

Limits and Unknowns

• The law does not cover professional or commercial gambling.
• It is unclear how strictly the new definitions will be enforced by local authorities.

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 26LSO-0169

Bill No.:

SF0044

Effective:

7/1/2026

LSO No.:

26LSO-0169

Enrolled Act No.:

SEA No. 0038

Chapter No.:

51

Prime Sponsor:

Management Council

Catch Title:

Gambling amendments.

Has Report:

No

Subject:

Amending exceptions to the offense of gambling.

Summary/Major Elements:

This act revises the exceptions to the offense of gambling by:
Limiting the exception for social gambling to those games, wagers or transactions that are incidental to a bona fide social relationship and that are conducted in private, not advertised, and in which no person receives compensation for facilitating the activity other than the direct realization of winnings.
Specifying that raffles or drawings conducted for charitable purposes are an exception only when one hundred percent (100%) of the net proceeds are allocated to charitable purposes.

This act revises the definition of "profit" to mean any financial gain.

This act creates a definition of "bona fide social relationship" to mean a genuine social connection in which the participants have an established knowledge of each other that is not established for gambling purposes.

The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent.

While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.

Current Bill Text

26LSO-0169

ORIGINAL Senate

File No
.
SF0044

ENROLLED ACT NO. 38,

SENATE

SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2026 Budget Session

AN ACT relating to crimes and offenses; amending exceptions to the offense of gambling; amending and creating definitions; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1.

W.S. 6
‑
7
‑
101(a)(iii)(intro), (E), (H) and (ix) and by creating a new paragraph (xiv) is amended to read:

6
‑
7
‑
101.

Definitions.

(a)

As used in this article:

(iii)

"Gambling" means risking any property for gain contingent in whole or in part upon lot
,

or
chance
,

the operation of a

in any game played with cards, dice, balls or on any
gambling device or
contingent on
the happening or outcome of an event, including a sporting event, over which the person taking a risk has no control, but does not include any of the following:

(E)

Any game, wager or transaction
:
which is

(I)

I
ncidental to a bona fide social relationship
;
, is

(II)

P
articipated in by natural persons only
;
, and

(III)

Conducted in a private manner, at a private place or at a business or fraternal organization for which the primary source of revenue of the business or fraternal organization is not derived from any activity involving risking property for gain;

(IV)

Not advertised or otherwise open to public participation; and

(V)

I
n which no person
is participating, directly or indirectly, in professional gambling;
receives any remuneration from facilitating, participating in, hosting or organizing the game, wager or transaction other than the direct realization of winnings.

(H)

Raffles
or drawings
conducted for charitable purposes
in which one hundred percent (100%) of the net proceeds remaining after payment of all costs, supplies and winnings are used for charitable purposes
;

(ix)

"Profit" means
benefit other than a gain, which is realized or unrealized and direct, including benefits from unequal advantage in a series of transactions but does not include benefits of proprietorship or management of a business wherein a game, wager or transaction described in W.S. 6
‑
7
‑
101(a)(iii)(E) occurs
any financial gain
;

(xiv)

"Bona fide social relationship" means a genuine social relationship between two (2) or more persons wherein each person has an established knowledge of the other. "Bona fide social relationship" shall not include a social relationship which has arisen for the purpose of gambling.

Section 2
.

This act is effective July 1, 2026
.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the Senate.

Chief Clerk

1