Wisconsin · Through 2023-24 Wisconsin Statutes updated through 2025 Wis. Act 247 (published 9-4-26)

Wis. Stat. § 895.056: Recovery of money wagered.

(1) In this section:
(a) “Property” means any money, property or thing in action.
(b) “Wagerer” means any person who, by playing at any game or by betting or wagering on any game, election, horse or other race, ball playing, cock fighting, fight, sport or pastime or on the issue or event thereof, or on any future contingent or unknown occurrence or result in respect to anything whatever, shall have put up, staked or deposited any property with any stakeholder or 3rd person, or shall have lost and delivered any property to any winner thereof.
(2)
(a) A wagerer may, within 3 months after putting up, staking or depositing property with a stakeholder or 3rd person, sue for and recover the property from the stakeholder or 3rd person whether the property has been lost or won or whether it has been delivered over by the stakeholder or 3rd person to the winner.
(b) A wagerer may, within 6 months after any delivery by the wagerer or the stakeholder of the property put up, staked or deposited, sue for and recover the property from the winner thereof if the property has been delivered over to the winner.
(3) If the wagerer does not sue for and recover the property, which was put up, staked or deposited, within the time specified under sub. (1), any other person may, in the person’s behalf and the person’s name, sue for and recover the property for the use and benefit of the wagerer’s family or heirs, in case of the wagerer’s death. The suit may be brought against and property recovered from any of the following:
(a) The stakeholder or a 3rd person if the property is still held by the stakeholder or 3rd person, within 6 months after the putting up, staking or depositing of the property.
(b) The winner of the property, within one year from the delivery of the property to the winner.
(4) This section does not apply to any property that is permitted to be played, bet or wagered under chs. 562 to 569 or under state or federal laws relating to the conduct of gaming on Indian lands.

Where this section sits in the code

Chs. 885-895, Provisions Common to Actions and Provisions Common to Actions and Proceedings in All Courts
Chapter 895 Damages, Liability, And Miscellaneous Provisions Regarding Actions In Courts
SUBCHAPTER I DAMAGES, RECOVERY, AND MISCELLANEOUSPROVISIONS REGARDING ACTIONS IN COURTS

(1) In this section:

(a) “Property” means any money, property or thing in action.

(b) “Wagerer” means any person who, by playing at any game or by betting or wagering on any game, election, horse or other race, ball playing, cock fighting, fight, sport or pastime or on the issue or event thereof, or on any future contingent or unknown occurrence or result in respect to anything whatever, shall have put up, staked or deposited any property with any stakeholder or 3rd person, or shall have lost and delivered any property to any winner thereof.

(2)

(a) A wagerer may, within 3 months after putting up, staking or depositing property with a stakeholder or 3rd person, sue for and recover the property from the stakeholder or 3rd person whether the property has been lost or won or whether it has been delivered over by the stakeholder or 3rd person to the winner.

(b) A wagerer may, within 6 months after any delivery by the wagerer or the stakeholder of the property put up, staked or deposited, sue for and recover the property from the winner thereof if the property has been delivered over to the winner.

(3) If the wagerer does not sue for and recover the property, which was put up, staked or deposited, within the time specified under sub. (1), any other person may, in the person’s behalf and the person’s name, sue for and recover the property for the use and benefit of the wagerer’s family or heirs, in case of the wagerer’s death. The suit may be brought against and property recovered from any of the following:

(a) The stakeholder or a 3rd person if the property is still held by the stakeholder or 3rd person, within 6 months after the putting up, staking or depositing of the property.

(b) The winner of the property, within one year from the delivery of the property to the winner.

(4) This section does not apply to any property that is permitted to be played, bet or wagered under chs. 562 to 569 or under state or federal laws relating to the conduct of gaming on Indian lands.

Collected 2026-09-05T12:01:47Z. Source file · JSON

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