A bipartisan group of Wisconsin lawmakers has introduced a bill that would legalize online sports betting across the state by routing wagers through servers located on tribal land.
Under the Wisconsin Constitution, gambling is permitted only on tribal territories. The proposed ‘hub-and-spoke’ model would let residents place bets anywhere by connecting to servers based on tribal property.
This system was first implemented in Florida in 2021 and later upheld by the D.C. Court of Appeals after a legal challenge.
Speaking to Wisconsin Public Radio, State Sen. Kristin Dassler-Alfheim said the measure could raise gambling tax revenue by about 10%. She added, “Really, it’s just giving everyone access to the online markets that the rest of the country is enjoying, that our state has not had access to via the [hub-and-spoke].”
