- The state of Wisconsin and the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin agreed to amend their gaming compact on Monday to allow the tribe to begin offering sports betting at their casinos.
- The St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin become just the second tribe in Wisconsin to be granted the ability to offer sports betting services at their establishments.
MADISON, Wis. – The St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin are set to begin offering sports betting at the tribe’s facilities, joining the Oneida Nation as the only two Wisconsin tribes that are authorized to offer sportsbooks.
Governor Tony Evers and St. Croix Tribal Chairman William Reynolds signed an amendment to the gaming compact on Monday which authorized the tribe to offer legal sports betting at their facilities. There is a required 45-day period in which the Department of Interior will review the amendment, which it is expected to approve.
The Governor’s signing of the amendment comes after months of negotiations between the state and the tribe, which came to a head on November 30 when the St. Croix Chippewa Tribal Council approved the amendment.
“I’m grateful for Chairman Reynolds and the St. Croix Chippewa Tribal Council for their efforts to negotiate this compact,” Evers said Monday. Event wagering will bring new opportunities for employment and revenue growth to the Tribe and provide a welcome boost to our recovering tourism and entertainment industries.”
The St. Croix Chippewa Tribe agrees that allowing the tribe to host a Wisconsin sportsbook will have a positive impact on both the state and the tribe.
“It means a lot to us, not just economically for the tribe itself, but it also helps our tourism in our counties that our casinos reside in,” Reynolds said.
Kiosks + Future Online Sportsbook
According to the gaming compact, the tribe will be permitted to accept wagers on professional sports but will be prohibited from accepting action on collegiate or amateur sports.
The tribe is currently facing some supply chain issues, but they plan to have their sports betting kiosks ready for the upcoming Super Bowl, according to Reynolds.
The change to the gaming compact will also allow the tribe to add an online sportsbook to their mobile online gambling offerings within the tribe’s facilities. This will be added once the tribe can establish an effective geo-fencing system to ensure all online sports bets are placed on tribal property.