Wisconsin lawmakers have introduced a bill that would give the permission of sports betting outside of tribal Casinos in Wisconsin. 

Wisconsin is one of 38 states to allow sports betting, however these bets can only be made on official tribal land. Most notably, the sportsbook on the Potawatomi land in the heart of downtown. 

The Wisconsin Constitution prevents the ability to place sport bets online. The apps such as DraftKings and PrizePicks allow people to place bets on sports by identifying them as “fantasy sports” apps. The difference between sport betting apps and fantasy apps are subtle but important. 

“Everyone was kind of scratching their heads saying, ‘How can we bring this to Wisconsin’ (without changing the Constitution),” said George Ermert, spokesperson for the Forest County Potawatomi Community, which owns and operates the Milwaukee casino.

An app such as Prize Picks, has the user pick above or below a particular stat line of a professional player/athlete. The more picks put together, the higher the pay out. The catch is that picking these players involves the building of a “fantasy lineup,” which is not regulated in Wisconsin. (RELATED: Poll Finds Increasing Blame on Democrats for Continued Shutdown)

On an app such as ESPN Bet, they are a licensed online sportsbook. They offer betting lines on multiple things such as money line, spreads, and total scoring. In Wisconsin, betting on those lines outside of tribal grounds and online is currently illegal. 

The new bill would allow for online betting on apps similar to ESPN Bet, only if the servers are located on tribal land. This would allow popular casinos such as Ho-Chuck, Potawatomi, and Lake of the Torches to release sports betting apps for people across the state to use. (RELATED: ‘Another Burden’: Wisconsin Leaders Split Over Wheel Tax Hike)

Wisconsin is following the lead of the Florida legislature with this bill. Florida, who also has strong ties with their native nation, legalized the ability for the Seminole nation to create such platforms. Although Wisconsin doesn’t stipulate taking a portion of the winnings, Florida’s similar legislation takes 10% and could prove huge revenue for the state.