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Lawmakers Pushing for Sports Betting in Minnesota

As Minnesota’s neighboring states have supported establishing a sports betting market within their borders, lawmakers within the state continue to advocate for it. Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin already feature some form of regulated sports wagering in their state.

 

Lawmakers are Making a Push to Allow Sports Betting in the Gopher State

Recently, a second Native American Tribe in Wisconsin has signed an agreement to push for legalized sports betting in its state. The St. Croix Casino, located in Danbury, is approximately an hour and a half away from the Twin Cities and is the newest gaming facility to allow sports betting.

This is inadvertently putting on immense pressure on Minnesota lawmakers to keep pace. 

The pressure is undoubtedly increasing as Sen. Karla Bigham told KSTP, “It is time. We no longer can be an island,” Bigham said. “Thirty-three states and territories have legalized sports wagering. It is time for Minnesota to join that group.”

She is not the only one that believes that this would be the right move for the state going forward. Rep. Pat Garofalo has expressed his opinions by authorizing bills regarding sports betting for the state’s house. 

Garofalo was also able to speak with KSTP and stated, “It’s past time for us to bring a safe and regulated sports gambling to the state of Minnesota.”

Bigham and Garofalo have authorized sports betting bills in previous years but cannot lead the charge as they are now both the minorities in their respective chambers. Several attempts were made post-PASPA, but none of the bills have made it to the floor since May 2018.

However, there is a new wave of hope as FL Commerce Committee Chairperson Zack Stephenson and Sen. Roger Chamberlain are members of the majority of their chambers. They will be authorizing the sports betting bills during the next session.

Stephenson believes that Minnesota’s residents should have the chance to engage in the sports betting industry as neighboring states have had the opportunity to do so. Lawmakers may have the additional support they need as the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association (MIGA) is willing to consider it under the right circumstances after years of resentment.

 

Minnesota Indian Gaming Association May Change its Views on Sports Betting

The main reason Minnesota hasn’t been able to establish a sports betting market in the state was tribes opposing the expansion of sports betting. The tribes are against any gaming outside of tribal lands.

Neighboring states like Wisconsin have simultaneously worked with their tribes by taking the brick-and-mortar sports betting approach at this moment. Residents in Wisconsin are allowed to place wagers on tribal lands and can use mobile sports betting platforms on-site. Geofencing prohibits visitors from sports betting outside the jurisdiction.

In October, the MIGA was against the expansion of sports betting, but things started to take a turn for the better in November. 

MIGA Executive Director Andy Platto said in a statement, “The tribal governments making up MIGA have been examining the various ways sports betting has been implemented across the country and its impacts on tribal communities…As gaming experts, tribes stand ready to share this expertise with lawmakers considering the future of sports betting in Minnesota.”

Stephenson plans to meet with the tribal leaders, legislators, community members, and stakeholders to discuss this issue further. The plan is to develop new sports betting legislation to introduce in the earlier portion of the new session. The Minnesota Legislature is set to meet sometime in late January.

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