Wisconsin Assembly Passes Mobile Sports Betting Bill

Online sports betting may finally be coming to the Dairy State.

The Wisconsin Assembly has passed AB 601, which would expand sports betting to include mobile wagering. The bill, which garnered bipartisan support, proposes a market run by 11 tribes, who would have sole rights to the industry. All sportsbook servers would be hosted on tribal lands, thereby extending the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

The bill is now heading to the Senate for review. Wisconsin’s upper chamber approved a similar bill during the last legislative session, making it likely they will approve AB 601. With Governor Tony Evers ready to sign off, it appears a legal online sports betting market in Wisconsin may soon be a reality. 

The approval came just days after tribal leaders asked the chamber to pass the bill before their session ends next week. Last year’s mobile betting bill had similar support, but was unable to get an Assembly floor vote in time. Tribes were growing concerned that the same thing would happen in 2026, but their call to action resonated with lawmakers.

Retail sports betting is already legal in Wisconsin, though there are only a handful of sportsbooks in the state.

Former AG Calls for Public Vote

While lawmakers in Wisconsin are ready to legalize mobile betting, questions remain about where the public stands.

Former Wisconsin Attorney General JB Van Hollen wrote an op-ed in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Monday. In it, he ripped the state’s plans to create a tribal-run mobile market. He pointed to the lack of competition it could create, leading to a disappointing market for the state and bettors.

While sports betting has strong support among Wisconsin lawmakers and residents, there have been concerns about handing control of it to the tribes. As a result, Van Hollen believes lawmakers should instead be putting the issues on the November ballot, allowing the public to decide on the proposal. 

Van Hollen isn’t alone, but it seems unlikely that mobile sports betting would become a reality with the tribes' support. That is giving some lawmakers in the state pause, but it seems the call for mobile betting has grown too great to ignore.