The Wisconsin Senate has approved a bill that would legalize online sports betting in the state, passing with bipartisan support by a vote of 21 to 12.
The bill previously passed the state Assembly last month on a voice vote, also with bipartisan support, though its future had been uncertain in the Republican-leaning Senate.
Under current Wisconsin law, online sports betting is not permitted. In-person sports betting is available at Indian-owned casinos in the state. The bill would allow online sports betting through an app, as long as that app is connected to a computer server at a tribal-owned casino in Wisconsin.
Watch: Online sports betting is now one step closer in Wisconsin:
Opponents of the bill have raised concerns that easier access to gambling will fuel more addiction. Supporters argue it will benefit the state's tribes and allow Wisconsin to control how the system is set up.
"It puts a sportsbook in every pocket, turns every game, every play, every moment into an opportunity to bet. And in doing so, it accelerates a pattern that we already know can become dangerous, the slide from casual betting into compulsive behavior," Sen. Andre Jacque (R-New Franken) said.
"I would rather put as many parameters around it as we can to take care of our consumers and keep the revenue in with the family who are our local tribes who also are then sharing back to the state. It is going to happen in Wisconsin. I think taking control of it at this point is a smarter play for all of us," Sen. Kristin Dassler Alfheim (D-Appleton) countered.
The bill could push aside national sports betting operations like FanDuel and DraftKings. Tribal casinos have called for the bill's passage.
It remains unclear whether Governor Evers will sign the legislation. If signed, the state would need to negotiate agreements known as compacts with all the tribes. Current agreements already include revenue sharing with the state — a process that could take considerable time.
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