Gov. Evers signs bill legalizing online sports betting
Updated: 2:43 p.m. on April 9, 2026
MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Just hours before the deadline, Governor Evers signed a bill that will legalize online sports betting in Wisconsin.
Lawmakers passed the bill last month, sending it to Evers' desk.
With the signing of the bill, people will soon be allowed to wager on sports using a mobile device from anywhere in Wisconsin, as long as that bet was made through a tribal casino.
The next step will require the governor and the state's 11 tribes with gaming compacts to agree upon changes to those compacts that will regulate online gambling throughout the state.
Evers previously said the tribes were not all on the same page when it came to online betting, leading to the bill's future being uncertain.
CBS 58 recently obtained a letter signed by 11 tribes that was sent to Evers Wednesday, saying all of the tribes wanted him to sign the bill.
In his signing message, the governor noted his concerns about the "important work that lies ahead," and he noted it's up to the 11 tribes to discuss what the infrastructure of online sports betting will look like.
Evers cautioned the tribes' agreement should provide for an equitable sharing of revenue generated by online betting.
"I further ask that any model that puts a few Tribes on top and forces the remaining Tribes to accept a small share be rejected," Evers wrote.
"This is an opportunity to avoid the mistakes of past compact amendments that left some Tribes and their members in poverty while only lifting up a few."
Jon Greendeer, president of the Ho-Chunk Nation told CBS 58 Thursday afternoon revenue sharing will be the biggest issue in the tribes' ongoing negotiations.
"I don't think it's an elephant in the room," Greendeer said from his office in Stevens Point. "I think it's something that's been discussed intertribally and with the state, is how revenues work and how the market share works and making sure there is an equitable distribution of revenue."
Greendeer said he was confident the tribes would reach a deal around how to spread the money around, as well as how to govern the system in terms of what types of bets are allowed and what resources the tribes provide to address gambling addiction.
He defended the tribes' exclusive rights to operate sports betting, both in-person and now online.
Major private sports betting companies like DraftKings and FanDuel lobbied unsuccessfully against Wisconsin's online betting bill.
"We can't even just jump into sports betting without going through this exhaustive process," Greendeer said. "And it seems to me like private industry feels like, in order to say we have a capital market, they just come in and do whatever they want and leave whenever they want."
One of the bill's lead sponsors, State Rep. Kalan Haywood (D-Milwaukee) noted nothing is guaranteed with the ongoing compact talks, but he expressed confidence the final product will do more good than harm.
"We must continue building a framework rooted in responsibility," Haywood said. "It means putting strong guardrails in place to prevent abuse. It means acknowledging the financial and mental health challenges that can come with wagering activities, and ensuring that resources, education, and support systems are accessible to those who need them."
Conservative groups have criticized the bill in recent months, questioning whether the Legislature has the authority to expand legal gambling, as well as whether it's legal to allow only tribes to operate online betting systems.
The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty previously told CBS 58 they expected at least one lawsuit to challenging the new law if Evers signed the bill.
Posted: 11:44 a.m. on April 9, 2026
MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Thursday, April 9 is the deadline for Governor Tony Evers to act on a bill that would legalize online sports betting. Lawmakers passed the bill last month.
It would allow people to wager on sports using a mobile device from anywhere in Wisconsin as long as that bet was made through a tribal casino.
Gov. Tony Evers
CBS 58 has obtained a letter signed by 11 tribes.
It was sent to Evers on Wednesday and says all of the tribes want him to sign the bill.
Evers has previously said the tribes were not all on the same page. CBS 58's A.J. Bayatpour asked Evers for an update during his Milwaukee stop Thursday morning.
"We're still working on that. Obviously, we're gonna be making a decision before the end of the day. We have a few more things we have to figure out there," Evers said.
"Are the tribes in agreement?" asked Bayatpour.
"We're working with them right now to make sure they are," Evers responded.
Evers has until Thursday afternoon to act on the bill.