Wisconsin Legalizes Online Sports Betting, But Tribes Must Negotiate First

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Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has signed a bill into law that legalizes online sports betting in the state, making it the 33rd state to allow the practice. However, gamblers in Wisconsin will have to wait months or even longer before they can legally place bets, as the new law requires the state to negotiate new deals with the 11 federally recognized American Indian tribes that would run the sports betting operations.

Why it matters

The legalization of online sports betting in Wisconsin represents a significant shift in the state's gambling landscape, which has been limited to tribal casinos under exclusive compacts. This new law opens up the possibility of increased gambling revenue for the tribes, but also raises questions about how the revenue will be shared and whether all tribes will be treated equitably.

The details

The new Wisconsin law requires that the infrastructure to manage sports bets, such as computer servers, be located on tribal lands in the state. This 'hub-and-spoke' model is already used in Florida. Under the tribal compacts, a percentage of the money tribes earn through gambling is returned to the state, which in 2024 amounted to just over $66 million. Governor Evers has stated that the new law represents an opportunity to support mental health programs and combat the opioid crisis in both tribal and non-tribal communities.

• On April 9, 2026, Governor Tony Evers signed the bill legalizing online sports betting in Wisconsin.
• The new law requires the state to negotiate new deals with the 11 federally recognized American Indian tribes before any bets can be placed, a process that could take months or longer.

What’s next

The 11 federally recognized American Indian tribes in Wisconsin must now negotiate new compacts with the state in order to implement the new law and allow online sports betting to begin.