WAUKESHA, Wis. — Wisconsin residents hoping to place sports bets from their phones will have to wait longer, as a lawsuit challenging the state’s new online sports betting law is not expected to be resolved until next spring.
During a hearing Monday, Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge Arthur Melvin allowed eight Wisconsin tribes to join the state in defending the law. The tribes include the Ho-Chunk Nation, Forest County Potawatomi Community, Oneida Nation and five others.
The lawsuit was filed in August by the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL) on behalf of the Brown County Taxpayers Association and Citizens Defending Liberty.
The groups argue the law, approved by state lawmakers and Governor Tony Evers earlier this year, violates the state constitution. Attorneys challenging the law also plan to update their complaint following last week’s midterm election and voter approval of a constitutional amendment prohibiting certain forms of preferential treatment by government.
Judge Arthur Melvin has scheduled oral arguments for April 20, 2027, with a ruling potentially coming in May. The judge said the case centers on whether the law complies with Wisconsin’s Constitution.
Even if the law survives the legal challenge, additional steps are required before online sports betting can begin in Wisconsin. The governor must negotiate updated gaming agreements with the state’s tribes, and those agreements would then require federal approval.
