Add Wisconsin to the list of surrounding Illinois states that will offer college sports betting on IL teams before the Land of Lincoln.
The Oneida Casino in Green Bay is planning to launch retail sports betting in Wisconsin by Nov. 1. Other Oneida territories in the state will be able to offer sports betting, too.
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The Oneida is only a few miles away from Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers.
Chad Fuss, the assistant general manager of the Oneida Casino, told Spectrum News in an interview:
“As of Aug. 16, we were able to offer event wagering. Unfortunately, due to supply chain delays and hardware and software issues, our goal currently is to be open by Nov. 1.”
While there won’t be widespread mobile sports betting as there is in Illinois, Wisconsin will have an online component. If you are physically at one of Oneida’s retail sports betting locations, you will be able to place bets on your phone if you choose.
Fuss said:
“We will be using a technology called geofencing, so when you come within that geofence, you can use your mobile device to make a wager.”
Illinois battles Wisconsin in football on Oct. 9.
Due to the supply chain delays that Fuss mentioned, it still won’t be possible to bet on the Badgers or the Illini in the state. But even when Northwestern takes on the Badgers on Nov. 13, sports betting on the Wisconsin college games won’t be allowed.
It likely won’t be in Illinois, despite the fact that the Prairie State is a top-three sports betting market in the US on a monthly basis.
Unless some magic happens during the veto session in October.
Will IL college betting ban be repealed at veto session?
A bill that repealed the Illinois collegiate betting ban on in-state teams passed in the House in the spring. But the Senate never got around to voting on it.
The bill would only legalize in-person betting on Illinois college teams, not mobile. Still, it’s an incremental policy step toward full legalization in the future.
The Illinois General Assembly is in session from Oct. 19-28, where the Senate votes on the bill.
The legislation passed 96-11 in the House, so it appears to be a good bet to make it through the Senate at some point. But with other issues to worry about that might take higher priority, the “when” remains a serious question.
Sen. Cristina Castro told PlayIllinois in June:
“The Senate didn’t have a chance to dissect it and go through it. I think, as far as the Senate is concerned, it’s mostly a clean-up bill. Nothing heavy. There’s just a few things I think we’re going to examine a little more as I understand it from last I heard before we adjourned.”
Would mobile sports betting succeed in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has the 20th largest population in the US. It also has several popular pro sports teams in the Packers, Bucks and Brewers, as well as prominent college teams in the Wisconsin Badgers and Marquette Golden Eagles.
Colorado, one of the first states in the US to adopt mobile sports betting, is 21st in the country in population. The monthly Colorado sports betting handle usually ranges anywhere from $200 million to $300 million, give or take, depending on the month.
In other words, Colorado is a healthy sports betting market, and Wisconsin could see similar results.
Online sports betting is legal in nearby states such as Illinois, Michigan, Iowa and Indiana. Will the Badger State ever come on board?
Retail sports betting is a start, however small.
