- The future of Wisconsin’s online sports betting bill is in question as Republican support in the State Senate continues to fall short.
- LeMahieu’s leadership role could be on the line if he turns to Democratic votes to push the bill through.
- An unwritten Senate tradition is fueling the growing divide between LeMahieu and members of his own party.
MADISON, Wisc. – A clash is taking shape in the Wisconsin State Senate this week, and the outcome could determine where online sports betting in the state goes from here.
This week, Republican Sen. Chris Kapenga went after Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, making it abundantly evident that he might lose his position as leader if the sports betting and NIL legislation are brought to a floor vote on Tuesday without strong Republican support.
The State Assembly has already approved the sports betting bill, which would enable Wisconsin residents to wager online using servers situated on tribal territory. Instead of leaving money on the table, the law aims to integrate legal sports betting into a regulated, tribe-run structure.
Wisconsin’s tribal nations are currently losing out on income they are entitled to under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act because platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket operate in the state under federal laws.
Why Republican Support Is Falling Short
The plan is not supported by every Republican senator. Kapenga has been one of the most vocal opponents, claiming that giving the tribes sole authority over online gambling results in an unjust monopoly supported by the government. If the state decides to allow online betting at all, he thinks it shouldn’t be restricted to just one set of providers.
LeMahieu would probably need to secure Democratic votes in order to pass the bill because enough Republican senators have voiced similar objections. This raises the issue of the Senate’s long-standing unwritten rule of 17, which requires a majority leader to advance legislation only through their own caucus.
Right now, Republicans have an 18–15 majority, which makes the math very close. Tuesday is a crucial day for LeMahieu personally because, according to Kapenga, violating that rule has historically cost majority leaders their leadership positions.
Most Democrats are in favor of advancing the legislation. Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein noted that residents already pay money to out-of-state businesses and Wisconsin sportsbooks, and she contended that it just makes more sense to retain that money in the state’s tribal nations.
It remains to be seen if LeMahieu chooses to hold a vote or leave the legislation alone. However, the stakes for Tuesday’s floor session go much beyond the bills themselves now that Kapenga’s warning has been made public.
