- Wyoming's SF 44 closes a loophole that allowed bars to run commercial poker operations under the cover of private social gatherings.
- The new law sets strict requirements for what qualifies as a legal private game, affecting players, hosts, and venues across the state.
ALPINE, Wyo. - Yolanda Navarrete, a retired municipal worker, has spent the better part of a decade pulling up a chair four nights a week in a room upstairs at the Bull Moose Saloon, where cowboys and tourists alike come to play cards.
The largest pot anyone can recall was about $400, but a new state law has completely altered the situation for games similar to this one.
Wyoming's Senate File 44 was signed on March 5, 2026, and takes effect July 1. The law targets a loophole that bars used to run commercial poker operations under the cover of private social gatherings. In one case, investigators discovered a pot of $140,000 inside a single bar.
The bill's sponsor, Sen. John Kolb, said that players cannot be regarded as friends just for Wyoming poker site purposes.
What SF 44 Changes for Poker Players
Anyone seated at a private poker table is now required by law to have a sincere, pre-existing relationship with the other players. As of now, games cannot be promoted or made available to the general public.
Payment for facilitating a game cannot be collected by a host, venue, or intermediary. According to the new law, dealer tips may also be considered unlawful compensation. The Wyoming House approved the bill 58-0.
Players in states with poker friendly game exceptions similar to Wyoming's, including Colorado, Texas, and Connecticut, should pay close attention to how SF 44 develops.
The legislation is a potentially important reference point for how similar laws could be developed elsewhere because those jurisdictions employ similar standards but lack the degree of regulatory clarity that Wyoming has already established.