Cross Minnesota off the books for 2023. House Bill 2000 failed in the House and Senate, with several lawmakers against the bill. The legislation proposed retail wagering and online betting sites. But opponents worried about negative impacts for low income residents and communities of color, according to Covers.
“I am absolutely an N-O vote,” Senator Scott Dibble told the MinnPost earlier this month.
HB 2000 would regulate sports wagering through the state’s 19 casinos, all tribal-owned. Earlier this year, the bill sailed through the House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee, the House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee, and the Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee.
Not enough to make it any further before the legislative session ended.
In 2022, the state’s House passed a bill but never made it through the Senate thanks to an amendment that allowed two horse racing tracks to obtain sports betting licenses. As a result, the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association opposed the bill.
This year’s version permitted the 11 tribes to launch their own sportsbooks or partner with operators. Wagers placed on tribal land would not be taxed, But online wagers would pay 10 percent of net revenue.
The first $2.7 million of revenue from wagering in Minnesota would go to the Commission of Public Safety. Another $1.35 million would be earmarked for the Commission of Revenue. The rest would be split between the Commission of Human Services and the Amateur Sports Integrity and Participation account.
Better luck next year.
