What Is The Legal Gambling Age In Wisconsin

• What Is The Gambling Age In Wisconsin
• Oklahoma Gambling Age
• States With Legal Internet Gambling
• What Is The Legal Gambling Age In Wisconsin Casinos

On those properties, the age minimum would be 21 due to the United States’ legal drinking age. But online markets don’t have to worry about that, so patrons of at least 18 years of age can find gambling action online. 12 US states currently allow gambling at the minimum age of 18. Video gambling machines are NOT legal anywhere in Wisconsin except in a lawful casino. A bar or tavern may have 5 or fewer machines for amusement only. For complaints or concerns regarding video gambling machines in a bar/tavern, please contact the Department of Revenue – Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement at 608-266-2772 or your local law.

The Wisconsin gambling industry used to revolve around horse and dog racing, but with all the racetracks going out of business, it now leans on the local tribal casinos instead.

Wisconsin is home to 11 federally-recognized Indian tribes. When the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act was passed in 1988, the local authorities didn’t have any doubts about signing tribal-state gambling compacts with them.

Wisconsin Gambling Law Summary

Gambling in Wisconsin is defined as a “bargain in which parties agree, dependent upon chance even though accompanied by some skill, one stands to win or lose something of value specified in the agreement.” In practical terms, Wisconsin judges are supposed to follow a “predominance test” and weigh the importance of skill against the influence of luck to determine whether a specific contest is permissible. If a contest is deemed unlawful, the act of placing a bet or even entering a gambling establishment or site with the intent to place a bet constitutes a Class B misdemeanor, which is punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.

All gambling-related matters are covered in Wisconsin Statutes sections 945.01 et seq. and 562.001 et seq. The minimum gambling age is 18 for bingo and the lottery and 21 for casinos.

Online Gambling in Wisconsin

Wisconsin doesn’t have any internet-specific gambling regulations, but the general definitions are broad enough to cover most forms of iGaming. Thus, engaging in online play via offshore sites is not advised in this state.

Participating in illegal gambling within the borders of Wisconsin is considered a misdemeanor, according to Section 945 of Wisconsin code. Nevertheless, the state definition of gaming doesn’t specifically mention the internet or online games, so many people believe that this alone is enough to protect them from prosecution.

At this point, it’s impossible to say whether this opinion is true or not, as the issue of the legality of online gambling hasn’t been tackled in a Wisconsin court yet. The truth is that local law enforcement doesn’t waste time and resources on trying to punish individual players, so in all likelihood, the problem mentioned above will remain theoretical for a long time.

Wisconsin Casinos

The 11 Wisconsin tribes currently operate 22 casinos. Some of the tribes only own one or two properties, but three tribes hold a significantly larger share of the market: Ho-Chunk Nation (six casinos), Oneida Tribe (five casinos), and St. Croix Chippewa Indians (three casinos). The biggest casino in the state is the Potawatomi Bingo Casino in Milwaukee, which houses more than 3,000 slot machines, 100 table games, and a large poker room.

Unfortunately, residents don’t have access to any state-sanctioned online casinos, and playing on offshore sites is illegal within state borders. This isn’t likely to change in the foreseeable future as no gambling bills are underway at the moment.

Wisconsin Poker

As mentioned, determining whether a game constitutes unlawful gambling in Wisconsin hinges on the predominance of skill over luck, and the Poker Players Alliance attempted to take advantage of this to legalize poker without changing the law. Unfortunately, these hopes of achieving a legal breakthrough were dashed by the Wisconsin Supreme Court because of a legal precedent set by a 1964 case.

Today, poker carries the same legal status as luck-based casino games and can be played for money exclusively in the local casinos. Wisconsin doesn’t run any state-sanctioned poker sites. While some offshore platforms accept players from the Badger State, they’re doing their customers a disservice by putting them in legal jeopardy.

Wisconsin Sports Betting

The landmark Supreme Court ruling that overturned the federal ban on sports betting isn’t likely to have any impact on Wisconsin. In essence, local legislators don’t seem interested in legalizing this form of gambling. The 2018 session is guaranteed to close with no sports betting bill on the agenda, and the odds of such a bill being introduced in 2019 appear slim.

On a brighter note, even though all the local race tracks were closed, Wisconsin residents can still engage in simulcast horse and dog race betting in the local tribal casinos.

Wisconsin Daily Fantasy Sports

DFS platforms advertise their contests as entirely skill-based and claim that they are legal in states like Wisconsin, which rely on the luck factor to determine whether something constitutes gambling. So far, none of these assertions were challenged by state officials, but DFS fans should be keenly aware of the fact that sites like DraftKings, FanDuel, or Yahoo DFS are operating in a legal gray area in this state. Fortunately, state legislators are currently working on two bills designed to regulate paid DFS contests, so the situation is likely to become crystal clear in 2019. However, this is not guaranteed; the sponsors behind one of the current bills already tried making a similar push in 2017 but failed to rally the House behind their cause.

Wisconsin Lotteries

The Wisconsin Lottery offers all the popular local and multi-state draft games, including Powerball and Mega Millions, as well as scratch games and pull-tab games. Unfortunately, the lottery website is for information purposes only – purchasing tickets requires a visit to a licensed retail shop.

Wisconsin Bingo

Bingo is a popular alternative to raffles as a form of charitable gaming in Wisconsin, and it’s also offered commercially by the local casinos. Unfortunately, local businesses aren’t allowed to operate online bingo sites, and playing on offshore platforms meets the definition of unlawful gambling.

Wisconsin Online Gambling FAQ

What types of gambling are available in WI?

There aren’t any commercial casinos in Wisconsin, but other than that, the state is very attractive for land-based gambling enthusiasts. The local tribal casinos are free to offer all kinds of games, while racetracks focus on pari-mutuel betting. Wisconsin has a state-run lottery and some charitable gambling, mainly in the form of bingo and raffles operated by licensed organizations. The state allows social gaming but doesn’t have any online gambling regulations that would allow for Wisconsin-licensed iGaming sites.

What laws cover online gambling in Wisconsin?

Gambling in Wisconsin is covered by Section 945 of the Wisconsin code. Many experts believe that the regulations that criminalize participating in unlicensed gambling activities do not apply to online gambling, as internet games aren’t mentioned anywhere in the text. While this theory hasn’t been proven right or wrong yet, online gamblers aren’t being prosecuted right now.

Is real money online gambling legal in Wisconsin?

The legal status of online gambling is somewhat ambiguous in Wisconsin, but that doesn’t change the fact that no offshore site customers have been charged with a misdemeanor up to this point. This leads us to believe that playing on sites like Bovada is perfectly safe.

Which offshore gambling sites accept Wisconsin residents?

Major offshore sites are relatively widespread among Wisconsin-based iGaming veterans, so it should come as no surprise that most of them accept new customers from Wisconsin.

What are the most popular banking options supported by Wisconsin-facing sites?

What Is The Gambling Age In Wisconsin

If you decide to make your deposit using Visa/MasterCard credit/debit card, the money should be credited to your account within 24 hours, which makes it the best option when it comes to funding your offshore gambling account. Withdrawals generally tend to take a few days to process, but wire transfers are still reasonably quick and allow you to get your winnings without spending a lot of money on transaction fees.

Does Wisconsin offer any intrastate online gambling?

No. While there’s no denying the fact that Wisconsin officials couldn’t care less about going after individual online gamblers, they’re very serious when it comes to shutting down unlicensed online gambling businesses operating from within the borders of the state.

Is it likely for Wisconsin to regulate online gambling?

While new regulations aren’t impossible, Wisconsin isn’t going to lead the way for other states like Nevada or New Jersey. The local lawmakers are interested in protecting the Wisconsin Indian casinos, so any future iGaming regulations would most likely result from a broader national trend.

We've compiled this legal online betting reference to provide accurate and up-to-date information on the legal online gambling status and gaming options available within each American state. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive state-by-state US gambling guide which will give players all the information they need to make smart decisions about how and where to bet online.

This state-specific data will include the state laws governing Internet gambling opportunities in all relevant markets, including online casinos, online poker, and online sports betting.

Each state approaches the legalization of online gambling differently, so it's necessary to detail state-licensed options as well as legal international gambling opportunities. We also address some of the most commonly asked questions about gambling in each state and provide various helpful resources. Such information is covered in greater detail at each specific state page linked below.

Is Online Gambling Legal In My State?

It definitely might be! At this moment, at least 25 US states have legalized and regulated online gambling in some form. However, most states have limited their legalization efforts to sports betting.

Nevertheless, we expect that the majority of these states will also embrace legal online poker games and legal online casino games eventually. Of course, if they don't, you can still wager legally and safely using online overseas operators.

Online Poker & Casino

Oklahoma Gambling Age

• Delaware - Online Poker, Online Casinos
• Michigan - Online Poker (launch TBA), Online Casinos
• Nevada - Online Poker
• New Jersey - Online Poker, Online Casinos
• Pennsylvania - Online Poker, Online Casinos
• West Virginia - Online Poker, Online Casinos

Online Sports Betting

• Arkansas*
• Colorado
• Delaware***
• Louisiana**
• Maryland**
• Michigan
• Mississippi*
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico*
• New York*
• North Carolina**
• Pennsylvania
• South Dakota**
• Washington**
• Washington DC
• West Virginia

*Retail only, online TBA

**Legalized but pending launch

***Retail available, online pending launch

To date, TN is the only US state that has domestic sportsbooks available exclusively online, as there are no provisions in Tennessee sports betting laws to allow for retail brick-and-mortar gambling locations.

Online Lottery

• Illinois
• Michigan
• Pennsylvania
• Virginia

Is Licensed Offshore Gambling Legal In My State?

While the above states offer regulated online gambling, residents in most of them still have the option to use licensed offshore betting sites. Nearly all US state residents, except those from Washington or Connecticut, can legally access licensed offshore online gambling platforms to play online casino games, enter online poker tournaments, and bet on sports.

This is because no local gambling laws in any of the other 48 states specifically prohibit betting real money with an international operator.

Additionally, there are no federal laws that bar the activity, as all US betting mandates apply only to domestic sportsbooks (i.e. the Wire Act) and US-based financial institutions (i.e. the UIGEA), not to players themselves.

What Is The Minimum Online Gambling Age in the US?

There is no single minimum gambling age in the US, as these are set and regulated by each individual state. The minimum age within each state is affected by various factors such as betting markets, casino game types, venue amenities, and more.

Most states set all their gambling age minimums to 21 years of age, though a few have sports betting options and other kinds of Class II style gambling opportunities for 18+ players.

That said, licensed international online gambling sites offering casino games, poker rooms, and sports betting amusements almost always accept USA players at just 18 and up. These reputable sites also award their members bigger bonuses and perks, more varied electronic casino game options, and better sports betting odds.

U.S. States Where You Can Legally Gamble At 18 And Up

Below, you can learn more about the minimum legal online gambling age by state:

Online Gambling Laws in The United States

Gambling laws can be a complex topic these days, as there a pair of prominent US federal gambling laws to account for, and there are several local gambling laws in every single state.

The reason for this is that the US DOJ has declared that each state has the authority to determine its own destiny concerning both land-based and online gambling. This is especially true now that PASPA (1992-2018) has finally been overturned.

Since 2018's PASPA overturn, a large number of US states have legalized various forms of online gambling (mostly sports betting) within their borders. Many other states are currently in discussions to do the same.

Nevertheless, even if you live in a state without legal local gambling options, you still have them. US players outside of WA and CT are permitted access to multiple licensed, certified, and regulated online gambling sites hosted outside of the United States. This is a nice alternative allowing those players aged 18 and up to enjoy real online gambling while their states get their ducks in a row.

States With Legal Internet Gambling

States With Pending Online Gambling Legislation

• Iowa
• Kentucky
• Michigan
• New York
• Virginia

US States That Offer Active Domestic Sportsbooks

• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Delaware
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Michigan
• Mississippi
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• Tennessee
• Virginia
• Washington DC
• West Virginia

US States With Legal Sports Betting Pending Launch

What Is The Legal Gambling Age In Wisconsin Casinos

• Louisiana
• Maryland
• North Carolina
• South Dakota
• Washington