While nearly all of the states in the US either have sports betting or are looking into legalizing the industry, that had not been the case in Wisconsin up until now.
Legal sports betting is up and running in the Oneida Casino Sportsbook near the Green Bay airport.
There are 27 gambling properties in the state, and all of those are run by Native American tribes. Without any commercial casinos and some strict gaming laws, Wisconsin sports betting has not been a topic of discussion among state lawmakers. However the Oneida Tribe pushed for an amended compact with the state earlier this year to include retail sportsbooks.
That amended compact was approved by Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers in late June. It was them approved on the federal level by the US Department of the Interior.
Several states in the Midwest now offer sports betting, and that could eventually put pressure on lawmakers to pass a law allowing commercial operators. For now, retail sports betting will be limited to tribal casinos who amend their compact.
Wisconsin Sportsbooks
Since private Wisconsin casinos aren’t really an entity here, all of the retail betting will have to take place at tribal casinos. State lawmakers could also look to offer WI online sports betting through commercial operators.
If a WI sports betting bill is ever brought forward, that bill would likely give a better idea of what types of sportsbooks will be offered in the state.
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WI Sports Betting Rules
Betting on collegiate sporting events would be one of the biggest questions to answer before commercial WI sports betting is offered. This has been a difficult topic in many states, and each state has taken a different approach. As of now, betting on in-state colleges is not allowed at Oneida Casino.
Esports is another growing market, and some states now allow sportsbooks to take bets on this action. Wisconsin sportsbooks would have plenty of potential options if the industry launched.
WI Sports Betting Regulations
Until an official bill looking to legalize WI commercial sports betting is introduced, it is hard to predict how much support it would have. Wisconsin is one of the few states across the US that hasn’t even remotely considered sports betting, and it’s unclear why that is.
Wisconsin does have a state lottery, and it seems likely that the lottery would be in charge of regulating or overseeing sports betting if it were to launch. The rest of the WI sports betting details is all speculation until a formal proposal is presented.
Wisconsin Sports Betting Summary
Wisconsin is not a state expected to offer commercial sports betting anytime soon, but that could always change in an instant. With pressure coming from other surrounding states, WI sports betting might start to pop up in the coming years.
Milwaukee, WI does have a strong sports culture, and there would be enough teams to help drive WI sports betting. Bettors in the state are currently just waiting patiently for a piece of legislation to be introduced. The Potawatomi Nation has indicated their interest in amending their compact with the state. This tribe operates a hotel and casino in the Milwaukee area.
With the NBA’s Bucks and MLB Brewers based in that city, legal sports betting at that location would be a welcomed addition to a very limited lineup of options.
