Wisconsin Online Sports Betting Vote Likely Coming in Early 2026

• A Wisconsin online sports betting bill will likely receive a vote in the Assembly early this year
• Wisconsin Assembly leaders pulled an online sports betting bill from a potential floor vote in November
• Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-33) said in a recent interview he expects the bill to receive a vote

Wisconsin online sports betting will likely be on the docket for an Assembly vote in early 2026 as state legislators continue to work through details of the proposed legislation.

Rep. Tyler August’s (R-31) bill, AB 601, was headed for a floor vote in November before it was pulled from the schedule, as Assembly leaders said more discussion was necessary. August confirmed the bill had been pulled, but said he expected it to be revisited “in early 2026.”

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-33) said he expects the Assembly will eventually vote on the bill this year.

Tribal Control of Online Sports Betting

Assembly Majority Leader August’s bill – and Senate counterpart bill SB 592 – seeks to legalize Wisconsin online sports betting for state tribes through a hub-and-spoke system and has seen early support from legislators.

If approved, the bill will allow tribes to renegotiate gaming compacts to offer online sports betting through their own platforms or through partnerships with sports betting companies. The renegotiated compacts will have to also be approved by the federal government.

Tribes will be able to partner with sports betting companies, such as FanDuel or DraftKings, to offer their online sports betting platforms to users in the state. Tribes will have to include the partners in their renegotiated gaming compacts.

Vos noted in his interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that online sports betting is already occurring in the state, so it should be regulated in a way to make it more transparent. However, he also reported that there are “legitimate concerns” with legalization and potential problem gambling increases.

Will Top Sports Betting Operators Come to Wisconsin?

During a public hearing for the bill this past fall, Damon Stewart, counsel for the Sports Betting Alliance, reported if Wisconsin legalizes online sports betting through the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) and the proposed hub-and-spoke model, the market will not be economically viable for operators to enter.

Wisconsin’s pathway to legalization would be similar to Florida, which will require sports betting operators to provide 60% of their revenues to their tribal partners.

However, if not by this legalization method, Wisconsin voters would have to agree to amend its constitution (after two consecutive legislative votes to do so). It would likely be a more difficult path to legalization than what is currently being proposed and would threaten Wisconsin Tribes’ gaming exclusivity.

Stewart, speaking on behalf of the Sports Betting Alliance, said major sports betting operators likely would not participate in Wisconsin’s sports betting market if required to provide the majority of revenues to their tribal partners.