The legalization of statewide mobile sports betting is nigh in Wisconsin despite objections to the proposed structure and the bipartisan way in which the legislation was advanced.
- Wisconsin lawmakers are advancing Assembly Bill 601, which would allow Native American tribes to offer statewide mobile sports betting.
- The bill would expand betting beyond tribal lands but still requires renegotiated compacts and federal approval before implementation.
- Major betting companies and some lawmakers oppose the measure due to revenue concerns and a somewhat unusual bipartisan process in which it may pass.
Assembly Bill 601, which cleared that chamber in February, was passed Tuesday by the Wisconsin State Senate on a 21-12 vote. The bill now heads to the desk of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who could sign it into law.
A.B. 601 would make a small but significant tweak to Wisconsin's gambling scene. That change would enable Native American tribes with experience in land-based gambling to offer statewide mobile sports wagering as well.
"I really think that this moment is about collective assertion of tribal sovereignty and the preservation of exclusivity that tribes have fought decades to establish," said Democratic Sen. Dianne Hesselbein, the Senate minority leader, in the chamber on Tuesday.
While the tribes would still need to renegotiate their gambling-related agreements with the state, and those compacts would need to be approved by the federal government, it would be a major step toward authorizing a statewide mobile version of Wisconsin sports betting.
OK, so key takeaway from today’s now-reconnected hearing on statewide online sports betting in Wisconsin is that the big boys don’t think they can participate with the Arkansas and Florida-like revenue-sharing they’d have to accept (bulk of it to tribes). More to come, probably.
— Geoff Zochodne (@GeoffZochodne) November 4, 2025
Wisconsin does have legal sports betting at the moment, but it is confined to the casinos and lands of its Native American tribes.
A.B. 601 would allow for wagering anywhere in the state, albeit still via the tribes. The framework would be similar to what was done in Florida with the Seminole Tribe and its Hard Rock Bet brand, but with more choice possible for consumers.
The passage of the bill also comes while mobile sports betting is already happening all over Wisconsin, including through federally regulated prediction markets. The exchanges are facilitating wagering on sports throughout the U.S., especially in states that lack legal mobile betting.
A.B. 601 would allow tribes and their partners to expand their gaming operations in Wisconsin and compete for that business. Supporters have argued the legislation would allow the state to channel hundreds of millions of dollars in illegal wagering into a regulated system.
Not our cup of OSB
However, not everyone loves the Wisconsin legislation. Not everyone loves the way it was passed in the legislature, either.
Big sports betting brands such as DraftKings and FanDuel have opposed the proposed structure because it would require the bulk of revenue generated by mobile sports wagering to stay with the tribes. This, the operators say, would leave them sidelined in Wisconsin and potentially limit the size of the new legal market.
Meanwhile, some state lawmakers were concerned about the bipartisan way in which A.B. 601 was passed by the Senate, which has an 18-15 Republican majority.
Bit of #breaking Badger State news:
— Geoff Zochodne (@GeoffZochodne) February 19, 2026
Wisconsin Assembly Passes Tribe-Controlled Online Sports Betting Bill https://t.co/QabHON1enr@Covers
One Republican state senator recently warned against passing the online sports betting bill without at least 17 GOP members voting in favor, which is exactly what happened. Twelve Democrats and nine Republicans voted to pass A.B. 601.
During debate on the bill on Tuesday, there were additional concerns raised by some state lawmakers from both parties.
"Voters didn't elect Democrats and Republicans to bring more gambling to the state of Wisconsin," Republican Sen. Steve Nass said. "In fact, public revenue built on addiction, family disintegration, and predatory practices is neither moral nor sustainable. Making gambling easier and more accessible online will only accelerate these harms."
Nass also noted that "other entities" who provide the same service (online sports betting) would be excluded under the legislation unless they strike a deal with the tribes "at great expense."
"Competition is nil," he added.
Nass said he had suggested going the route of a proposed constitutional amendment as well, to put the question of online sports betting to the voters.
Still, there was pressure to move on the online sports betting legislation. Hesselbein said Tuesday that Senate Republicans had indicated it would be the last working day of the year. Furthermore, Evers, who has authorized in-person sports betting offered by the tribes, is not running for re-election this fall.
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Here's hoping
Democratic Sen. Dora Drake said the issues raised by her fellow senators were "absolutely valid," but noted the online sports betting legislation was requested by Native American tribes who have dealt with similar concerns for a long time.
"And so when they come to us asking for something, it's a way to help their own," Drake said.
While Hesselbein said she’d received no indication as to whether Evers would sign A.B. 601 into law, she was optimistic that the Evers administration will be able to renegotiate satisfactory compacts with tribes.
“We are hopeful that there is enough time for the governor and his team to do that,” Hesselbein said during a press conference Tuesday morning.
