Wisconsin, state tribe agree to sports betting deal at Sevenwinds Casino

Wisconsin tribe Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa is now allowed to host betting on sports and non-sports events at the Sevenwinds Casino in Hayward, following the Oneida Nation, the St. Croix Chippewa, and the Forest County Potawatomi.

Governor Tony Evers and Chair Louis Taylor of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa revealed that a compact amendment between the two parties would allow the tribe to expand gambling operations at its casino. This amendment would not only allow betting at the casino, but it would also allow mobile wagering on other lands that the tribe owns.

The signed amendment will then be sent to the U.S. Department of Interior for a 45-day review. Evers explained the reasoning behind the compact amendment, saying:

"I am grateful to Chairman Taylor and the Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Council for their work to come to an agreement on this important compact amendment. Event wagering will generate additional revenue for the state and the Tribe, while giving a boost to tourism and employment in Northern Wisconsin."

Meanwhile, Taylor expressed his excitement about the amendment which was the result of negotiations between the state Department of Administration’s Division of Gaming and the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. He said in a statement:

"This is a great day for the Lac Courte Oreilles Tribe. The amendment will allow us to continue offering a first-rate gaming experience at our casino and increase employment opportunities for both Tribal members and the Sawyer County area. I am very pleased we were able to work so quickly and cooperatively with Gov. Evers’ team to reach this historic agreement."

Wisconsin's sports betting legalization

The Evers administration and Oneida Sports worked together to allow sports wager at its facilities in July 2021. This marked the first time that sports gambling was legal in Wisconsin. A 2018 Supreme Court ruling increased the number of states with legalized sports betting. Currently, Wisconsin has not done so but lawmakers have expressed support for the legalization in Wisconsin.

The legalization would need to be approved by the Senate and Assembly before having the chance to be displayed as a statewide referendum to change Wisconsin's Constitution. However, despite all the states that have done so, sports betting has not significantly increased a state's revenue after being approved.

A Legislative Reference Bureau report wrote that Nevada only got $20 million in tax revenue from the $300 million generated by the $5 billion industry. Pennsylvania and Mississippi reportedly only brought in half of what was expected while West Virginia and Rhode Island obtained even less.

Despite the lack of results from other states, the Evers administration is predicting that Wisconsin will benefit from the additional revenue through betting revenue. In addition, Evers has expressed interest in increasing revenue by providing employment opportunities in both the casino and the tourism industry.

In addition, VIXIO Gambling Compliance, a company that records the state of gambling legislation and its performance at a state-wide level, issued a report in 2021 and predicted that national revenue for legal sports betting could grow to $3.1 billion within a year and reach $10 billion by 2026.