Wisconsin Sports Betting Bill Would Grant Tribes Exclusivity

Although the Badger State is without legalized mobile sports betting, a small step has been taken in the legislature to advance that cause. Senate Bill 592 was introduced to give Native American tribes exclusive control of the mobile sports betting industry should it become legal.

Florida Blueprint

Only Florida has granted Native American tribes a monopoly on mobile sports betting through its compact with the state, but Wisconsin may just be the second to do the same.

A bipartisan coterie of Wisconsin legislators has sponsored Senate Bill 592, which would stipulate that all mobile sports betting must flow through tribal gaming tribes as long as the servers are on tribal land.

This is just the first step towards legalizing mobile sports betting in the state, and it is a bit like putting the cart before the horse. Usually, the framework of a sports betting bill is advanced in the legislature, which may or may not stipulate which entities can operate in the state.

However, this bill is unique in that it identifies the operator without having a legislative measure in place to authorize sports betting, but it does foreshadow Wisconsin’s interest in an industry that has become more mainstream year after year.

Next Steps

The bill now resides in the Committee on Agriculture and Revenue and still needs the blessing of the legislature, which could come during a legislative “floor period” from November 11 to November 20, but it could also be discussed during next year’s session.

“This bill does not authorize gambling on its own; it only is one part in a multi-step process to create the legal framework necessary for Wisconsin to participate in mobile sports wagering under tribal compacts,” the proposal for the sports betting framework reportedly said.

“Gaming compacts between states and tribes need to be federally approved by the U.S. Department of the Interior before going into effect.”

Wisconsin has witnessed the sports betting industry’s success in neighboring states such as Illinois, while Minnesota lawmakers will be discussing their own gaming industry. Whether or not this triggers a lengthier debate regarding legalizing sports betting in Wisconsin is still unclear, but as they say, one must crawl before they can walk.