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Legislation to allow online sports betting in the state of Wisconsin is in the hands of that state's Governor, Tony Evers. There is no guarantee.
Both the House and Senate passed a bill that would allow only "federally recognized American Indian" tribes to operate online sports betting in the state. It would exclude popular apps like DraftKings and FanDuel.
Potawatomi Hotel and Casino CEO Dominic Ortiz is anxiously awaiting the decision.
"I think the excitement is there for consumers," Ortiz told WISN 12 News on Tuesday.
Sports betting is legal in Wisconsin, just not online. You can only bet on your smartphone or laptop while at a licensed land-based casino currently.
"We would be able to go statewide, geo-fence statewide," Ortiz said. "So from the comfort of your couch, you could be with a responsible gaming operator such as Potawatomi and place your sports bets."
"My overall goal is that we have to have all the tribes involved in this conversation. We'll see what happens," Evers said the day after the passage.
He is yet to provide a stance either way.
States were quick to regulate sports gambling since the US Supreme Court overturned decades of prohibition in 2018. But more recently we are seeing concerns over game fixing and harassment of players due to performance (or prop) bets.
As a result, many states are now prohibiting prop wagers, especially on college sports.
- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com
