Sports Betting Could Come To Milwaukee By Year’s End

Milwaukee residents could have the ability to place wagers on their favorite teams without having to leave town by the end of 2022 if an agreement between the State of Wisconsin and the Forest County Potawatomi Tribe is approved by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Wisconsin governor Tony Evers and Forest County Potawatomi Tribe chair Ned Daniels, Jr. announced the agreement in a press release on Friday, Feb. 18. If approved, the Potawatomi will be able to offer sports and live event betting at the tribe’s flagship hotel and casino in Milwaukee and other properties across the state.

“We appreciate Governor Evers and his Administration working with us in a government-to-government manner to provide our Tribe the tools needed to compete in the marketplace and giving us the business certainty to continue our investments in Milwaukee and throughout the state,” Daniels said in a statement.

Evers’ administration has already negotiated updated compacts with the state’s Oneida and St. Croix tribes to allow sports betting at their casinos in Green Bay and northwest Wisconsin, in part to help offset the losses incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Potawatomi reported a 28% loss in winnings from 2019 to 2020, leading to layoffs for casino staff, a cut in dividend payments to tribal members as well as reduced funding or elimination of various tribal services.

“I am glad for the good work of Chairman Daniels, the Forest County Potawatomi, and the folks at the Department of Administration to get this done so folks can enjoy sports and other event wagering in our state while benefitting the Tribe’s economic growth,” Evers said. “I look forward to continuing our partnership together to find new opportunities that support and bolster the Tribe’s success and our state’s success for years to come.”

The updated gaming compact, which was also extended to 2061 during the negotiation process, will undergo a 45-day review by the Department of the Interior. If approved, the Potawatomi plan to begin development of a sports book at the Milwaukee casino and have it operational by the end of the year.