Minnesota sports betting bill sponsor says "momentum is building" at legislature
MINNEAPOLIS — You have no doubt heard this before: Supporters say this year could be the year that the Minnesota Legislature legalizes sports betting.
But now because of a new agreement that has support from charities, Minnesota tribes and key legislators, it's possible it really could happen.
Sports betting is legal in more than 30 states, including all of Minnesota's neighboring states. But in Minnesota, in recent legislative sessions, sports betting bills have proved difficult to get across the finish line.
Last year, the holdup was a proposal that would have legalized sports betting but would have also eliminated some of the most popular electronic pull tab games that you find at bars and VFWs. Electronic pull tabs have evolved to look more and more like casino slot machines and that has drawn fire from Minnesota native tribes who, decades ago, were given exclusive rights to all gambling in the state of Minnesota.
Last year's proposal had the support of the tribes, but not the support of small bars, restaurants, VFWs and the group Allied Charities Minnesota which represents small charities. Those charities have been getting $40 million a year from these pull tab games. Because of this impasse, the bill went nowhere in last year's busy legislative session.
But just this past week a deal was announced that would increase the taxes from sports betting proceeds from 10% to 20%. Those extra tax dollars would go to those small charities. Allied Charities Minnesota said it can support that deal.
Rep. Zack Stephenson is a chief architect of the deal and the main sponsor of the sports betting bill. He was a guest on WCCO Sunday Morning at 10:30 a.m.
"Well, I think momentum is building, I think we have a great chance," Stephenson said. "It's a difficult bill because gambling bills by their nature have to be bipartisan, there are Democrats and Republicans who will never vote for it. So you have to assemble a broad bipartisan coalition and these days that is very difficult, but momentum is building."
The Indian Gaming Association has also said it supports this compromise. One of the leading GOP voices on the issue, Sen. Jeremy Miller, called the tax agreement a step in the right direction, but said in a statement, "There is still work to do."
Stephenson's bill would also legalize betting on sports fantasy games. The bill also contains tax dollars from sports betting going to help compulsive gambling education and treatment. This is the farthest it has ever gotten at the legislature.
You can watch WCCO Sunday Morning with Esme Murphy and Adam Del Rosso every Sunday at 6 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.