Minnesota lawmakers once again taking up proposal for legal sports betting
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- After previous attempts failed, Minnesota lawmakers are once again taking a look at legalizing sports betting.
Minnesota State Sen. Jeremy Miller (R-Winona) on Tuesday announced plans to introduce the Minnesota Sports Betting Act.
Miller argued that Minnesota is the only state in the region that does not have a legal sports betting option, forcing residents to cross state lines or resort to illegal workarounds.
Miller pointed out that 36 states, and the District of Columbia, all have legalized sports betting since the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 struck down a federal law banning most states from authorizing commercial sports gambling.
"It's time to authorize sports betting in Minnesota. As other states move to authorize sports betting, Minnesota is falling behind. We are the only state in the region where it remains fully illegal to bet on sports," Miller said. "The Minnesota Sports Betting Act is a fair and responsible proposal to authorize sports betting here in Minnesota. This proposal is good for the tribes, it's good for the horse racing tracks, it's good for the professional sports teams, and most importantly, it's good for the folks who would like to bet on sports here in Minnesota. This is long overdue and it's time to get it done!"
The bill would allow Minnesota's 11 Indigenous tribes to provide sports betting on-site in casinos, and would offer the same to the state's two horse racing tracks, which is something that the Indian Gaming Commission opposed in previous bills pertaining to legal sports gambling.
In previous attempts to legalize sports gambling, opponents argued that the state's poorer residents are at a higher risk for developing gambling addictions. Miller's bill would devote 25% of the revenue from sports betting toward mental health and problem gambling support. The other three-quarters would go toward tax relief for charities, major sporting events, and grants to support youth sports throughout the state.