WAGER Act
Sponsored By: Senator Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
Introduced
Summary
Would exempt lawful sports betting from the federal excise tax on authorized wagers. The exemption would apply only to wagers that are legal under state law or accepted under an approved Tribal-State gaming compact that complies with the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, and it would cover wagers on any sporting event placed after enactment.
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- Sportsbooks and wagering operators: Would not owe the federal excise tax on authorized wagers that meet the bill's legality tests, removing that federal tax constraint for qualifying bets.
- Tribal governments and tribal casinos: Wagers taken under approved Tribal-State compacts would be eligible for the exemption, aligning federal tax treatment with compact status.
- States and state-licensed markets: Bets lawful under state law would be treated as exempt from the federal excise tax, so federal tax treatment depends on state authorization and compact compliance.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Lower federal tax on legal sports bets
If enacted, this bill would remove the federal excise tax on sports bets placed after the bill is enacted. You would not pay the federal excise tax on a sports wager if the bet is allowed under the law of the State where it is accepted or under an approved Tribal-State gaming compact. The exemption only applies to wagers placed with respect to sporting events. Betting businesses that accept those lawful sports bets would also no longer pay the federal excise tax on them. The bill would not legalize bets that state or tribal law currently prohibits.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
NV • D
Cosponsors
Cindy Hyde-Smith
MS • R
Sponsored 9/11/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov