- Wisconsin advanced online sports betting bill AB 601 to the Senate.
- Lawmakers in Washington are also pushing an online sports betting bill through state legislature.
- Concerns over college prop betting expansion concern Washington lawmakers, while the Wisconsin bill faces opposition regarding tribal exclusivity and problem gambling.
SEATTLE – Wisconsin and Washington are discussing online sports betting bills in their respective states. Both states already offer legal sports betting at land-based tribal locations, but lawmakers are pushing for mobile betting expansion.
Wisconsin’s Assembly Bill 601 heads to the Senate after unanimously passing the Assembly on Thursday. Governor Tony Evers has already expressed his support for a tribal-exclusive online sports betting model that WI AB 601 proposes, so Senate passage is the true final obstacle.
Wisconsin Online Sports Betting Bill Features
The bill would allow each of Wisconsin’s 11 tribes to partner with a sportsbook operator. Legislation utilizes the hub-and-spoke model seen in Florida, which legally requires that the device processing the legal Wisconsin sports betting wager must be located on tribal land. All that means is that the processing server is on Wisconsin tribal land, allowing residents to place mobile wagers from anywhere within state lines.
Sportsbook operators want lawmakers to reevaluate the tribal-exclusive nature of the bill that sends 60% of sportsbook revenue to tribes, financially limiting FanDuel, DraftKings, and other potential operators. Other concerns revolve around problem gambling and the addictive nature of mobile betting.
Washington Online Sports Betting Bill Also Being Discussed
Washington lawmakers are discussing Senate Bill 6137, which would drastically expand the state’s legal sports betting offerings. In addition to providing Washington sportsbook apps, the bill would regulate betting on in-state college teams and out-of-state college player props.
This kind of betting can already be done in Washington with online sportsbooks like Bovada, but these options are regulated internationally and not by the state themselves. The bill uniquely would allow for multiple online sportsbooks to operate on tribal lands, while most states only allow one operator per casino.
The House State Government Committee will schedule a vote soon, which would could lead to the final vote on the House floor after the bill passed the Senate 41–8.
