Wisconsin Online Sports Betting: Proposed Bill Follows Florida Model

Wisconsin Online Sports Betting

The latest push for Wisconsin online sports betting follows a model used in Florida, allowing mobile wagering statewide via servers placed on Native American tribal lands.

Senate Bill 592 creates a narrow but potentially meaningful pathway for online sports betting. It allows wagers placed in Wisconsin to be processed through servers located on tribal land. The bill, first introduced in November, keeps sports betting squarely under tribal control while sidestepping the state’s prohibition on mobile wagering.

The proposal does not legalize commercial sports betting outright. Instead, it aims to align Wisconsin law with existing tribal gaming compacts and federal regulations via the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

The Seminole Tribe and State of Florida used a similar legal groundwork to establish statewide online Florida sports betting in their 2021 Gaming Compact.

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Details Of Proposed Wisconsin Online Sports Betting Bill

Under current Wisconsin law, placing a wager is classified as a Class B misdemeanor, effectively banning online sports betting statewide. SB 592 would carve out an exception by redefining what constitutes a “bet” under state statute.

The bill allows wagers placed by individuals physically located in Wisconsin if:

  • The betting system’s servers are located on tribal land
  • The activity complies with the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988
  • The wagering is conducted pursuant to existing tribal-state gaming compacts

The bill does not authorize new licenses, tax rates, or sportsbook operators. Instead, it removes a legal barrier that currently prevents tribes from offering statewide mobile sports betting under their compacts.

In effect, SB 592 positions tribal sovereignty as the legal backbone of any future online betting expansion in Wisconsin.

Rep. Jill Billings signed on as a co-sponsor on Thursday, joining several state senators and fellow representatives.

What Comes Next After Passage?

If the bill advances, Wisconsin tribes could eventually offer statewide mobile sports betting, potentially in partnership with the top sports betting sites such as FanDuel, DraftKings, Fanatics and BetMGM.

In Florida, the Seminole Tribe continues to maintain its online monopoly via the Hard Rock Bet app. Bookies.com has reported the Tribe remains in discussions with outsider operators as potential marketing partners, but the talks remain fruitless.

SB 592 has been referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Revenue. The bill reflects growing bipartisan interest in modernizing Wisconsin’s betting laws, particularly as neighboring states continue to expand legal wagering.

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What This Means For Bettors?

For Wisconsin bettors, the legislation signals a potential shift away from offshore sportsbooks, sweepstakes casinos, and other unregulated platforms that currently dominate the market. Those sites offer limited consumer protections and operate outside state and federal oversight.

A tribal-run mobile betting framework would provide regulated alternatives with responsible gambling safeguards, data security standards, and dispute resolution mechanisms.

From the state’s perspective, legalization could help keep betting dollars within Wisconsin rather than flowing to offshore operators. It could also generate new revenue streams tied to tribal economic development and public programs, without opening the door to commercial casino expansion.

For now, SB 592 is a procedural bill — modest in scope but significant in implication. If it gains traction, it could quietly reshape Wisconsin’s sports betting landscape without the sweeping overhauls seen in other states.

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