Gov. Tony Evers said Wednesday that it was not a sure thing that he would sign a controversial online sports betting bill passed by the Senate Tuesday.
Gov. Tony Evers indicated Wednesday that he may not sign a bill legalizing online sports betting in Wisconsin, saying full support from all tribal nations is essential.
Evers spoke to reporters after the state Senate passed the measure 21-12 on Tuesday, sending it to his desk. The bipartisan legislation would allow mobile sports wagers statewide, provided the servers processing bets are located on tribal lands, in line with the state constitution that restricts most gambling to tribal properties.
“We have to have all the tribal nations involved,” Evers said. “I am very concerned about the fact that, apparently, not all of the tribal nations are with this.”
Evers has previously conditioned his support on broad tribal consultation and backing. Some tribes, including the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, have advocated for the bill to help them compete with sports betting in neighboring states like Illinois and to generate revenue. However, the governor’s comments suggest lingering divisions or insufficient involvement from all 11 federally recognized tribes in Wisconsin.
The bill excludes popular commercial apps such as DraftKings and FanDuel, reserving online operations for tribal casinos. In-person sports betting at tribal facilities has been permitted since 2021.
If signed, the legislation would require Evers to negotiate updated compacts with tribes before implementation, a process that could delay rollout beyond major sporting events like March Madness. Evers’ office has not announced a decision timeline.
The measure passed with unusual coalitions, drawing yes votes from 12 Democrats and nine Republicans, while three Democrats and nine Republicans opposed it.
