The Chippewa Indians will join with the tribe in legally offering sports betting at its casinos.
Earlier this week, a gaming compact amendment was signed by Governor Tony Evers and William Reynolds, St. Croix Chippewa Tribal Chairman, allowing event wagering on sports and other events. The US Department of the Interior will review any changes after 45 days, which is expected to sign off on the amendment.
In a statement made on 20 December 2021, Evers commented: "I’m grateful for Chairman Reynolds and the St. Croix Chippewa Tribal Council for their efforts to negotiate this compact.
"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."
After months of negotiations between the tribe and the state, the St. Croix Chippewa Tribal Council approved the change on 30 November 2021.
Recently, Oneida Nation became the first Wisconsin tribe to offer legal sports betting; Reynolds viewed the tribe as following suit and said: "It means a lot to us, not just economically for the tribe itself, but it also helps our tourism in the counties that our casinos reside in."
The tribe will offer betting on professional sports, including football and baseball; however, college or high school sports won’t be allowed.
Players will be able to bet remotely on tribal land or in tribal properties located on land that’s held in trust by the Federal Government.
"We're still working on our construction. We're working on our policies and procedures, fine-tuning them to get ready to go," continued Reynolds.
