Potawatomi Casino Hosts First Super Bowl at Permanent Sportsbook

casino will be offering a festive atmosphere complete with multiple large screens, a tailgate-style buffet, and an extensive selection of nearly 1,000 betting options.

Justin Arnett, vice president of digital gaming at the casino, explained that the Super Bowl is traditionally the highest-volume betting day of the year. “The Super Bowl is the single-highest volume bet day of the sportsbook calendar,” Arnett stated. “It’s such a traditional American thing, cultural thing, that it brings out a lot of people for the first time to get a bet on the game.”

The Growing Popularity of Wisconsin’s Sports Betting Scene

The Potawatomi Sportsbook, which opened in 2024, offers over 20 kiosks, a spacious restaurant, seating for more than 200 fans, a broadcast booth, and an impressive 2,000-square-foot LED screen. Before its permanent location, the casino launched a temporary sportsbook in 2023 to accommodate the growing demand for sports betting in Wisconsin. The Forest County Potawatomi, along with other tribal nations, is part of the six federally recognized tribes in Wisconsin that had active sports betting operations as of late 2024, according to a new report by the Wisconsin Policy Forum.

While sports betting is booming in many states across the U.S., Wisconsin has taken a more cautious approach. The state has restricted sports gambling to tribal lands, with no current legislation permitting commercial sports betting. Despite this, the state is reportedly considering expanding online sports betting in hopes of generating additional tax revenues, though such an expansion comes with potential risks.

Tribal Gaming and the Impact on Wisconsin’s Economy

The Supreme Court’s 2018 decision to strike down the federal ban on commercial sports betting paved the way for states to legalize the activity. In Wisconsin, tribal nations began negotiating with the state to amend their compacts to allow sports betting in their casinos. As of late 2024, nine of Wisconsin’s 11 federally recognized tribal nations have modified their agreements to legalize sports gambling.

The report further highlights that the six tribal nations actively operating sports betting are the Oneida Nation, St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin, Sokaogon Chippewa Community, Forest County Potawatomi, Lac Courte Oreilles Band, and Lac du Flambeau Band. According to the report, tribal gaming payments to the state have seen an upward trend since 2020, increasing from $57.6 million in 2022 to $66.3 million in 2024, a clear sign of the growing success of these operations.

Despite the success of sports betting in Wisconsin, the state remains cautious about expanding the practice beyond tribal lands. As Arnett noted, the growth of sports betting in Wisconsin has been largely driven by the popularity of the NFL season, which saw fewer upsets this year.

“This year, they were winning at a higher clip than normal, which wasn’t quite as financially good for us but it brings people in the door,” Arnett shared. “People are coming in and they’re betting and they’re having a good time.”

Risks of Expanding Sports Betting

However, expanding sports betting in Wisconsin carries certain risks. While many states have embraced sports betting, some studies have pointed out the negative social and financial effects of legalized online sports gambling. According to a 2024 research paper, states that legalized online sports betting have experienced a rise in bankruptcies, debt collections, and auto loan delinquencies.

“Several studies showed that household finances in states where online sports betting has been legalized were negatively affected in the aggregate,” Mark Sommerha, the author of the Wisconsin Policy Forum’s report, explained.

Rose Blozinski, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling, has expressed concerns about the growing issue of gambling addiction in the state. She warned that problem gambling could lead to severe personal consequences, including financial issues and legal trouble. “There’s a high suicide rate on people who have gone overboard on gambling, with problem pathological gamblers,” Blozinski said. “In addition to that, there’s usually a lot of financial issues.”

As the Potawatomi Casino Hotel prepares to celebrate its first Super Bowl in its permanent sportsbook, it also reflects the broader shift taking place in Wisconsin’s sports betting landscape. While the tribal casinos have seen substantial success, any future expansion beyond their jurisdiction remains uncertain. If Wisconsin chooses to legalize online sports betting, careful consideration of the social and financial implications will be crucial.

Source:

”Wisconsin takes cautious approach as states rush to legalize sports betting”, wpr.org, February 05, 2025.