Governor Tony Evers has signed a new law that could bring online sports betting to Wisconsin, marking a major shift in how gaming may operate across the state.

     In a recent statement, Ho-Chunk Nation President Jon Greendeer said all 11 federally recognized tribes supported the bill and worked together in the lead-up to its passage.

     “Every single tribe supported the Governor’s signature on this bill,” Greendeer said, noting that tribal leaders met multiple times to ensure the legislation reflects their shared commitment to their communities.

     The legislation allows people to place sports bets anywhere in Wisconsin using a phone or computer, but only if the bets are processed through servers located on tribal lands.

     In its statement, the Ho-Chunk Nation emphasized that the legislation provides “legal certainty and enforceable consumer protections” for Wisconsinites, while also addressing concerns about unregulated or out-of-state betting platforms already operating in a gray area.

     Greendeer also highlighted the broader economic role tribal gaming plays across Wisconsin.

     More than 80% of gaming employees are non-tribal, along with 70% of health employees and nearly half of government staff. Those jobs, Greendeer said, support families across the region.

     “These jobs support families with health benefits in a time where they are needed most,” Greendeer said. “Moving toward online sports betting only allows us to further expand opportunities to more families.”

     While the law opens the door for mobile betting, key decisions still lie ahead.

     Evers has said he expects tribes to work together to create an equitable system for sharing both the risks and rewards of online gaming. That includes ensuring no single tribe gains an outsized advantage as the market develops.

     The Nation also tied the expansion of gaming to long-term community investments, including education.

     For the Ho-Chunk Nation, revenues from gaming have historically supported initiatives like youth education, helping raise graduation rates above the national average.

     “Since we started our first bingo hall, our leaders invested in our youth’s education,” the statement said. “We continue to invest in our people and our communities across the state.”

     Although the bill has been signed into law, online sports betting will not begin immediately.

     Each tribe must now renegotiate its gaming compact with the state, and those agreements must receive federal approval before mobile betting platforms can launch.