MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers legalizes online sports betting, while acknowledging challenges lie ahead.
The Governor in a statement says he’s signing the bill because “my obligation as governor is always to respect the sovereignty of Tribal Nations in Wisconsin”.
“This legislation is the beginning of a conversation, not the end of one. The real work begins today,” said Evers. “Each of the 11 Tribes must now work diligently, and together, to shape the future of sports betting in Wisconsin.”
It’s unclear when betting apps could begin appearing in the state; under the law, the state will be required to negotiate new deals with Wisconsin’s Native American tribes that would run the apps, meaning it could be months before a plan is enacted; Evers said he would not entertain “a plan that fractures this opportunity into unequal pieces, allowing some Tribes to reap great benefits while leaving only crumbs for others.”
Evers had expressed concern over all of the state’s 11 federally recognized tribes being in agreement on the parameters of the bill, but in a letter sent by the tribes April 8 leaders formally requested the Governor sign the legislation.
The bill will allow native tribes to operate sports betting apps where the app’s server is located on tribal land, following the “hub-and-spoke” model adopted in some other U.S. states such as Florida. It passed the state Senate 21-12 in March with Republicans evenly split between support and opposition, and was also publicly supported by the Milwaukee Brewers organization.
The Sports Betting Alliance, which represents companies such as FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM formally opposed the bill as it made its way through Madison, arguing the tribal revenue structure makes participation economically for the companies they represent impossible.
Wisconsin received $66,328,083 in total Class III gaming revenue sharing payments, with $8,081,936 sent by Native nations to local governments, according to the latest numbers from the Wisconsin Department of Administration’s Division of Gaming from 2024. There are gaming compacts between Wisconsin and all 11 of it’s federally recognized Native American tribes that grants the tribes exclusive control over gaming operations in the state in exchange for those payments.
“This marks an important step forward for Wisconsin’s tribal nations and for the state,” said Forest County Potawatomi Community Chairman Brooks Boyd in a statement. “This bipartisan legislation respects tribal sovereignty and keeps the economic benefits of mobile sports betting in Wisconsin. We are extremely grateful to Governor Tony Evers and the legislature for their support in advancing this legislation that will help bring a responsible regulatory framework to mobile sports betting in Wisconsin.”
With the bill’s passage, Wisconsin is now the 33rd state in the nation to legalize online sports betting in some form. Neighboring states Iowa, Illinois, and Michigan began the practice in 2019, 2020, and 2021, respectively; Minnesota has not legalized sports betting in any form.
It’s not known if any organization will file a formal challenge to the law. Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty founder Rick Esenberg declined to comment on potential litigation, instead referring WTMJ to comments made previously by the organization arguing that the Legislature does not have the constitutional ability to authorize a form of gambling outside of a constitutional amendment.
Additional information: Individuals experiencing issues related to gambling are encouraged to seek professional assistance. In Wisconsin, confidential help is available through the Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-GAMBLE-5 or 800gambler.org.
