Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers Signs Deal to Allow Sports Betting at Potawatomi Facilities in Milwaukee
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Wisconsin took another step forward toward sports betting legalization on Friday.
Gov. Tony Evers and Forest County Potawatomi Chairman Ned Daniels Jr. signed a deal that would allow casinos and affiliate locations operated by the Forest County Potawatomi to offer wagering on sports and other events.
The amendment to the Tribe's gaming compact will undergo a 45-day review by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
“I am glad for the good work of Chairman Daniels, the Forest County Potawatomi, and the folks at the Department of Administration to get this done so folks can enjoy sports and other event wagering in our state while benefitting the Tribe’s economic growth,” Gov. Evers said in a statement.
According to reports, the Potawatomi plan to open a sportsbook venue at its Milwaukee hotel and casino by the end of the year.
“We appreciate Governor Evers and his Administration working with us in a government-to-government manner to provide our Tribe the tools needed to compete in the marketplace and giving us the business certainty to continue our investments in Milwaukee and throughout the state,” Chairman Daniels said in a statement.
Gov. Evers signed similar compact amendments with the St. Croix Chippewa and Oneida Nation Tribes to offer sports betting at their casinos back in 2021. The Potawatomi is the first one in the Milwaukee area to be able to offer sports betting.
The state Department of Administration's Office of Indian Gaming and Regulatory Compliance will regulate event wagering.
In previous deals, Gov. Evers has not allowed wagering on college sports teams that reside in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin has a long way to go before mobile sports betting is legalized but — at the very least — Wisconsinites will be able to bet on sports at casinos in the major population centers for the foreseeable future.
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