Wisconsin Governor Won’t Rule Out Veto of Mobile Betting

It seems a legal Wisconsin mobile sports betting market may not be as close as it seems.

On Tuesday, Governor Tony Evers told reporters that he was not ready to sign AB 601, which legalizes mobile betting. While he has previously promised to sign a bill legalizing the industry, he noted that it would require strong legislative and tribal support. 

The bill the Senate passed earlier this week may not have satisfied those requirements.

“I’ll have to take a look at what the bill actually says, but also talk to those people from whichever tribal nations haven’t signed on, where they are at. And so, we’ll be doing some talking with tribal leaders, and hopefully we can get something done,” Evers shared when asked if he would sign AB 601.

While the state has seen a push for mobile betting for years, it has been unable to agree on what it should look like. Early proposals aimed at enticing commercial operators failed, as tribal gaming groups ensured they did. As a result, lawmakers pivoted towards a tribal-centric framework, similar to Florida.

Ever will have until six days (not including Sundays) to sign the bill, meaning his review will need to happen quickly.

Evers Must Make a Difficult Decision

The Wisconsin Governor cited tribal concerns as his reason for hesitating to sign off on AB 601, but there are far more reasons at play.

On the one hand, the bill has passed thanks to a rare bipartisan effort, underscoring the importance they place on it. While concerns over the impact on residents remain, lawmakers from both parties acknowledge that sports betting is already happening in the state through sports prediction markets. 

By legalizing sports betting, the state can generate tax revenue to help improve programs meant to help those struggling with gambling addiction. Wisconsin doesn’t have enough due to its retail-only gambling laws, but that will need to change quickly, whether this bill passes or not.

On the other hand, there have been strong warnings from the sports betting industry over the tribal-centric proposal. Representatives from FanDuel and DraftKings spoke to lawmakers about AB 601, saying it would create an uncompetitive market. This will lead bettors back to prediction markets and offshore sportsbooks.

There are also questions about where the public stands. While earlier polls showed strong support, a recent Marquette University Law School poll found that 70% of voters oppose mobile betting. Integrity concerns and gambling addiction were cited as the largest concerns.

Evers will now need to decide which path to take and prepare for the blowback it will bring.