September 11, 2025
Ms. Cortez Masto (for herself and Mrs. Hyde-Smith) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exempt sports betting from the tax on authorized wagers.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Withdrawing Arduous Gaming Excise Rates Act
or the WAGER Act
.
Sec. 2. Sports betting exempt from the excise tax on authorized wagers
(a) In general
Section 4402 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(4) Sports betting not prohibited under State law or Tribal compact
On any wager which—
(A)
is not prohibited under—
(i)
the law of the State in which accepted, or
(ii)
an approved Tribal-State gaming compact executed in accordance with the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.), and
(B)
is placed with respect to any sporting event.
(b) Effective date
The amendment made by this section shall apply to wagers placed after the date of the enactment of this Act.