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Read Full BioLawmakers are considering legislation to make online sports betting in Wisconsin legal, but only through the state’s tribes.
Wisconsin already allows sports betting at tribal casinos, and the new legislation would extend this to online bets, but only if the servers are located on tribal lands.
The proposal has bipartisan support as well as tribal backing. The Forest County Potawatomi Community Chairman Brooks Boyd told WISN, “This is the first step in bringing Wisconsin in alignment with the large majority of other states who already offer mobile sports wagering.”
Online sports betting is legal in 30 states with Missouri set to launch its market later this year. North Carolina was the latest to legalize online sports betting and reported $729.3 million in gross revenue from $6.8 billion in wagers.
With a lower population, Wisconsin would expect a lower betting handle, particularly if limited to online tribal betting platforms.
Online Sports Betting’s ‘Inevitable Future’
Nevertheless, Wisconsin sports betting has grown in popularity since the governor signed a compact with tribal leaders to allow wagering at casinos. Sports betting at the state’s 27 tribal locations generated an estimated $3.7 billion last year.
The first sportsbook in Milwaukee was opened at the Potawatomi Hotel Casino last year. Upon its opening, the casino’s CEO Dominic Ortiz said online sports betting is an “inevitable future.”
Residents interviewed by WISN also supported the potential for legal online sports betting in the state. Sports gambler Jon Davis stated, “It’s definitely popular, I think more popular than ever before.”
Another resident Smit Patel commented, “We’re in the 21st century in 2025, where everything is on our phones and our computers, we should be able to do it.”
Wisconsin Tribes Oppose Sports Prediction Markets
Although not officially legalized, Wisconsin residents can effectively wager on sports online through prediction market platforms. Companies such as Kalshi, Crypto.com, and Polymarket have expanded the range of markets on offer since launching sports markets at the start of this year.
The Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin filed a lawsuit against Kalshi and Robinhood, alleging the companies are offering illegal sports betting. The tribe’s attorney Les Marston stated, “When you use the app, it’s obviously sports betting.”
The Ho-Chunk Nation secured funding last week for a Beloit casino that is expected to open in September next year. The casino will feature a sportsbook, but if the new bill gains traction, it could allow residents to gamble online, significantly increasing its revenue.
This would provide the tribe with essential revenue to support its members. Vice President Lambert Cleveland stated, “We are a sovereign tribal government conducting highly regulated governmental gaming to provide essential services to our tribal members, who desperately need them.”
