(The Center Square) – A group of Wisconsin lawmakers are proposing a law that would allow mobile sports wagering across the state through the state’s current tribal operators.
The law would allow for a similar sports wagering model as Florida where the state’s sportsbook operators have servers on federally recognized tribal lands while users can be in the state of Wisconsin.
The proposal cites the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2024 decision not to hear a challenge to the sports wagering pact between Florida and the Seminole tribe of the hub-and-spoke sports wagering model.
Legal sports wagering is currently only allowed on tribal lands in Wisconsin while prediction markets such as Kalshi are now legal across the U.S.
The Ho-Chunk Nation currently has a lawsuit filed against Kalshi for operating in the state.
The bill is being proposed by Reps. Tyler August, R-Walworth, and Kalan Haywood, D-Milwaukee, along with Sens. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, and Kristin Dassler-Alfheim, D-Appleton.
“This legislation is an important step to bring Wisconsin in alignment with the majority of the country in regards to sports wagering,” Haywood said in a statement. “For too long, illegal, offshore entities have profited from consumers through unregulated sports wagering, without generating revenue for local economies.
“By regulating this multi-billion-dollar industry, we can provide a safer mobile wagering experience for Wisconsin consumers, and generate much needed revenue to invest into our communities.”
Wisconsin receives payments that are a portion of the net win from tribal casinos but does not separately reports sports wagering payments.
In 2024, the state received more than $66 million in shared revenue payments with nearly $66 million in 2023 and nearly $57 million in 2022.
Sports wagering is legal in 39 states with 31 allowing mobile sports wagering.
Sponsors sent out the proposed legislation to fellow lawmakers this week asking for co-sponsors before Oct. 22.
“This bill does not authorize gambling on its own; it only is one part in a multi-step process to create the legal framework necessary for Wisconsin to participate in mobile sports wagering under tribal compacts,” the proposal said. “Gaming compacts between states and tribes need to be federally approved by the U.S. Department of Interior before going into effect.”
Making a sports bet in the state is currently a misdemeanor offense and the bill would exclude from the legal term “bet” any mobile sports wager with an approved sportsbook with servers located on tribal lands.
The bill estimates it will bring hundreds of millions of illegal bets into legal sportsbooks in the state, stating the change “generates new revenue through tribal gaming compacts and reduces consumer risk from offshore operators.”
