Wisconsin is a governor’s signature away from authorizing online sports betting after a tribe-focused measure was approved by state senators.
On Tuesday, the Wisconsin Senate passed Assembly Bill 601 by a 21-12 vote, sending the legislation to Gov. Tony Evers’ desk for a potential signature to be enacted as law. AB 601 would bring online wagering to Wisconsin through the state’s tribes.
AB 601’s progress in Wisconsin
AB 601 is heading to Evers’ desk after the Wisconsin State Assembly advanced the measure in February through a voice vote, with no debate regarding its framework.
The measure was then sent to the Senate, where lawmakers voiced both opposition and support of legalizing online sports betting, with tribes having rights to the vertical.
Lawmakers who support the bill believe the piece of legislation provides new revenue opportunities for tribes while providing safeguards for online sports wagering. Meanwhile, opponents of AB 601 voiced both monopoly and problem gambling concerns.
“Competition is nil,” said Sen. Steve Nass during the Senate hearing on AB 601.
The proliferation of prediction markets and their sports event contracts also played a factor in AB 601’s passage, with some legislators suggesting that regulated sports wagering would pull customers from the platforms.
What could online wagering look like in Wisconsin?
AB 601 proposes authorizing online sports betting under the full control of federally recognized tribes in Wisconsin through their gaming compacts. The proposed “hub-and-spoke” framework is similar to how Florida provides regulated online wagering through the Seminole Tribe.
A signature of AB 601 by Evers would require an update to the gaming compacts for online wagering to go live. The updates must be approved by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Under AB 601, residents and visitors in the Badger State are provided with access to online wagering through gaming servers that are located on tribal lands. In Florida, the Seminole Tribe is also required to host gaming servers to provide online wagering in the state.
Wisconsin tribes are poised to benefit from AB 601’s revenue structure, which requires tribes to keep 60% of the revenue generated from online wagering. The structure has received pushback from two members of the Sports Betting Alliance (SBA), FanDuel and DraftKings. The two operators have said that the framework would not work for them.
SBC Americas reached out to the SBA for comment on AB 601’s Senate approval. The SBA’s membership also includes bet365, BetMGM and Fanatics.
It is unclear whether Evers will sign AB 601 as the state’s online wagering measure in 2026 after the governor suggested last year that he would be open to signing an online betting bill.
New opportunity for Wisconsin
AB 601 is one signature away from being implemented into law after a suspended effort in 2025 to expand Wisconsin’s commercial gaming market. Last year, lawmakers considered AB 601, with a subcommittee approving the measure, but the bill was put on hold.
Assembly members decided to pump the brakes on AB 601 amid concerns about problem gambling and the measure’s proposed “hub-and-spoke” model for online wagering.
