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Sports betting could soon be offered at the Mole Lake Casino & Lodge in Crandon, Wisconsin, owned by the Sokaogon Chippewa Community, following the g of a new state-tribal compact. It marks a further expansion of Wisconsin gambling and an important new amenity for the community’s only tribal casino.
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers and Sokaogon Chairman Robert VanZile Jr. announced the g of a new state-tribal compact on Friday.
The signed document now heads to the US Department of Interior, which will undergo a 45-day review.
New Wisconsin gambling compact
This new gaming compact amends the old one the Sokaogons had with the state. The agreement allows the tribe to offer sports betting at its Mole Lake property and other locations within its reservation. Additionally, oversight to ensure regulator compliance will be spearheaded by DOA’s Office of Indian Gaming and Regulatory Compliance.
In a statement, Evers said:
“It is always a good day when we can use our government-to-government relationship to provide new opportunities for tribal communities and our entire state, and I am appreciative of Chairman VanZile and the Sokaogon Tribal Council for their work with our istration on this compact amendment.”
Described as a “win-win,” Evers said the new agreement would benefit both the tribe and the state by bolstering local tourism and jobs in Northern Wisconsin.
“[The tribe] appreciates working cooperatively with the state of Wisconsin to further increase economic opportunity for both the tribe and the surrounding communities,” VanZile Jr. said.
Fifth gaming compact signed
Once the US Department of Interior review is complete, the tribe can begin offering in-person sports betting in time for the Super Bowl.
This is the fifth tribal compact to include sports betting enacted in Wisconsin. The Oneida Nation was the first to do so following the opening of its Ashwaubenon casino in 2021.
Governor Evers has signed deals with:
- The Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians
- Oneida Nation
- The St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin
- The Forest County Potawatomi
