Dayton OKs Poker, Horse Race Gambling Expansion
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Poker players will be able to find more seats and place bigger bets in horse track card rooms and Minnesota Indian tribes will get permission to simulcast live racing.
Gov. Mark Dayton signed a bill Friday that expands gambling in both ways. It stems from a deal between the owners of Minnesota's Canterbury Park and operators of lucrative tribal casinos.
It's unclear if tribes will take advantage of the off-track betting power. Minnesota's previous attempts to permit off-track betting on live racing have been struck down.
The card game changes will let Minnesota's two horse tracks go from 50 to 80 tables per site and boost the maximum bet to $100.
Backers say some new gambling proceeds will go into horse racing purses, which could boost the state's equine industry.
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