Wisconsin Assembly Finally Signs Off on Mobile Betting

The years-long battle over mobile sports betting in the Badger State may finally be at an end.

The Wisconsin Assembly has passed AB 601, which proposes a tribal-run online sports betting market. The chamber had come close to passing a similar bill last year, but ran out of time to vote before the session ended. There were fears this year’s bill would meet the same result, leading tribal leaders to call for action.

The bill will now head to the Wisconsin Senate for review.

Wisconsin Tribes Win Big

Last week, tribal leaders met with Wisconsin Lawmakers for their State of the Tribes address. In it, they called on the Assembly to ensure that AB 601 receives a vote before the legislative session ends on Friday. The Assembly answered by passing the bill shortly after.

Wisconsin’s tribal gaming groups are already allowed to operate retail sportsbooks in casinos around the state. However, only a few locations were opened, leaving those groups looking to cash in on mobile betting. 

Now, those tribes will be able to offer mobile platforms without partnering with outside operators. 

Lawmakers Cite Florida’s Gaming Compact

While there were calls for a commercial mobile market, Wisconsin’s tribes fought hard to ensure those proposals were never passed. That was a problem for lawmakers, who faced growing calls to legalize online sports betting.

Instead of negotiating with the tribes to bring in third-party operators, lawmakers instead turned to Florida’s gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe. The compact granted the massive tribe full sports betting rights, circumventing the state’s gambling laws. While controversial, a long legal battle that ended on the steps of the US Supreme Court solidified its legality.

While Wisconsin could face similar legal challenges to those in Florida, it will benefit from the legal precedent set by the Sunshine State’s compact. 

Will the Senate Pass AB 601?

The Wisconsin Senate has been supportive of mobile sports betting, but AB 601’s passage is far from guaranteed.

There has been a growing call for lawmakers to reject the idea of a tribal-run mobile market. They fear it would create a monopoly where platforms aren’t competing, leading to worse pricing and fewer bonuses for bettors. The result could be a spike in problem gambling, but without the massive tax revenue for the state.

A former Wisconsin AG recently wrote an opinion piece in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, calling for lawmakers to let the public decide on mobile betting. He believes voters are wary of a tribal-run market, which could resonate with the state’s Senators.