A proposed online sports betting bill that was moving quickly through the Wisconsin state capitol with bipartisan support came to an abrupt halt when Assembly leaders postponed a scheduled vote due to unspecified concerns.
The legislation would expand Wisconsin's current sports betting laws, which only allow in-person wagering at tribal casinos, to include online betting through apps connected to computer servers on tribal land.
Republican Representative Adam Neylon of Pewaukee opposes the online expansion, citing concerns about gambling addiction.
Watch: Why online sports betting still isn't legal in Wisconsin - for now:
"If you want to play the lottery, you do it with cash on location. We don't put it on people's phones and make it super easy to do," Neylon said.
He argued that the current regulated system requiring physical visits to casinos provides adequate access to sports betting without the risks of mobile gambling.
"I think that we currently have a regulated system where if you do want to have sports betting you can go to the casinos, you can place a sports bet. So I think expanding it and putting a casino on your phone is a bad deal for Wisconsin," Neylon said.
Under the proposed bill, users could place bets through mobile apps from anywhere in Wisconsin — at home, work or sporting events, as long as the betting platform connects to servers located on tribal land within the state.
Milwaukee Democrat Kalan Haywood, who helped write the bill, supports the legislation and emphasized consumer protections and revenue generation.
"Wisconsinites who participate in sports wagering will have consumer protections. That's one that's huge for us," Haywood said.
Haywood noted the bill would help generate revenue for essential services while supporting tribal interests.
"It will help generate revenue again to support those essential services like roads, like healthcare, like public safety, etc. So I think those are two huge things for us," Haywood said.
The representative also stressed there's no rush to pass the legislation, the goal is to get it right.
"We gotta make sure solving this gray area, not allowing for folks to come in, operate in this gray legal space, but at the same time, being current with the times, said Haywood. "Make sure we're protecting Wisconsin consumers but also supporting our tribes."
Assembly Republican leaders expect the bill to return for a floor vote next year.
This story was reported on-air by Charles Benson and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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