Wisconsin Governor Signs Off on Mobile Sports Betting Bill

After years of legislative deadlock, mobile sports betting is officially coming to the Badger State.

Governor Tony Evers officially signed off on AB 601 on Thursday, officially clearing the way for legal online sports betting in Wisconsin. The bill establishes that placing a mobile bet occurs at the server's location, allowing for expansion under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. This will create a hub-and-spoke market, similar to the one used in Florida.

“I share the same goal as many of the Tribal Nations—to develop and embrace a model that each Tribal Nation can participate in with dignity and pride,” Evers shared in a statement. “I will do everything in my power to support models that address disparities rather than exacerbate them and reject models that leave some Nations with little more than they have now while others prosper and thrive.”

Evers had been open about his willingness to sign off on any mobile betting expansion as long as it had approval from the state’s 11 tribes. 

Reports suggested AB 601 only had full approval from eight of those, leading Evers to remain noncommittal on his approval. Following discussions with the three, he secured their support and signed the bill.

Concerns Over Market Remain

While Wisconsin used Florida as an example for its market, there is one key difference that has some lawmakers worried.

Florida is home to the Seminole Tribe, which owns the Hard Rock brand. That means they already had a world-class Hard Rock Bet sportsbook in place before Florida’s market went live.

Wisconsin has several tribes with successful casinos across the state, but none have ventured into mobile betting. Potawatomi Casino has been offering a very basic mobile app that allows bettors to view odds and create tickets before visiting the retail sportsbook to place wagers.

While they can partner with commercial operators like FanDuel and DraftKings, AB 601 would require the tribes to receive 60% of all profits. That may lead most sportsbooks to skip entering the new market, forcing tribes to create and operate their own platforms. If those don’t impress bettors, they could seek out our offshore sportsbooks or prediction markets.