Wisconsin is one step closer to authorizing online sports betting after a failed attempt to bring the vertical to the Badger State last year.
On Thursday, the Wisconsin State Assembly passed Assembly Bill 601, sending it to the state Senate for further consideration. It was approved on the Assembly floor through a voice vote, with no debate amongst lawmakers about the measure’s framework. The bill garnered support from members despite some raising concerns about online wagering in 2025, leading to its reconsideration in the new calendar year.
If passed in the Senate, AB 601 will bring online sports betting to a U.S. market that already facilitates retail wagering at casinos operated by federally recognized tribes in the state, which currently hold exclusive rights to certain gambling verticals via gaming compacts with the state.
An update to the gaming compacts would be needed for online wagering to go live in Wisconsin, with approval from the Bureau of Indian Affairs also required.
How would AB 601 work in Wisconsin?
The bipartisan piece of legislation proposes the authorization of online sports betting under the full control of tribes behind their gaming compacts.
It will permit both residents and visitors across Wisconsin to have access to online sports wagering, with gaming servers required to be located on tribal lands in the state.
The requirement mirrors online sports betting operations in Florida, where the Seminole Tribe hosts servers with exclusive rights to online betting.
Major sportsbooks warned about Wisconsin plans
Wisconsin lawmakers are considering an online sports betting measure that benefits tribes through revenue. Under AB 601, Wisconsin tribes that offer online sports wagering are mandated to keep 60% of the revenue generated from online betting.
The revenue allocation has drawn opposition from the Sports Betting Alliance (SBA). Last year, the SBA voiced their support of online wagering in Wisconsin, but not the revenue allocation requirement that is laid out by AB 601, as the organization said it would require operators to pay at least 60% of revenue to tribal partners.
The SBA said that the framework would not work for FanDuel or DraftKings. The SBA’s membership also includes bet365, BetMGM and Fanatics.
“Online sports betting is a low-margin and capital-intensive business. It is simply not economically feasible for a commercial operator to hand over 60% just for the right to operate in the state,” said SBA representative Damon Stewart when discussing AB 601 last year. “That is why Wisconsin adults would not be able to use the national brands they see advertised on national TV every day.”
The revenue model mirrors that of Arkansas, where major online sportsbooks have yet to launch.
Prediction markets play a factor in Wisconsin
Meanwhile, some lawmakers also raised prediction market concerns.
During discussions on AB 601 in 2025, Assembly Majority Leader Rep. Tyler August advocated for online wagering to not only generate additional revenue and provide consumer protections, but also to thwart the proliferation of prediction markets and their sports event contracts.
August voiced concerns as prediction markets bypass the state’s tribal sovereignty requirement for gaming, with alarm bells also being sounded by State tribes – ultimately leading to their support for AB 601.
What’s next for AB 601?
The piece of legislation must garner full Senate support within a month. If the bill receives no amendments, it will head to Gov. Tony Evers‘ desk for a potential signature. Last year, Evers suggested that he would be open to signing an online sports betting bill. If the bill undergoes amendments, it is required to head back to the Assembly for reconsideration.
However, should AB 601 not advance out of the Senate, the bill would need to be reintroduced in 2027.
