Here’s What’s in a Yet-to-be-Filed MN Wagering Bill
Stakeholders are hoping that 2025 will finally be the year the legal sports betting gets through the Minnesota legislature, and Sen. Jeremy Miller Jan. 27 revealed what’s in his latest proposal.
Per a press release on the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus website, Miller said, “Minnesota continues to miss out on what is now a $150 billion industry. We were on the brink of success last year; I strongly believe 2025 could be the year we get this across the finish line.”
The draft bill would allow for legal digital sports betting tethered to the 11 tribal casinos at a 20 percent tax rate. Miller addresses two key issues that have come up previously by allocating 50 percent of all tax revenue for “charitable gaming tax relief” and 20 percent “to enhance horse racing in the state.” Horse racetracks have previously argued that they should get a piece of the wagering pie. Miller’s proposal doesn’t give the tracks access to wagering, but would funnel dollars toward it.
So far the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association has not responded, but a key issue with the bill is that it calls for a tax. Minnesota tribes have exclusivity for Class III gaming, per the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. In general, states can’t tax tribes without their consent. In Arizona, Connecticut and Michigan, tribal digital sports betting off reservation is taxed by the state. But in Florida, the Seminoles are not taxed. The tribe does pay a revenue share agreed upon in their compact with the state, but digital sports betting is not regulated or taxed by the state.
Miller said the proposal combines previous versions of legal sports betting bills as well as new ideas “brought forward from constituents and stakeholders. The goal of this proposal is to bring folks together to work toward a bipartisan solution to legalize sports betting in Minnesota.”
Minnesota’s legislative session opened Jan. 14. As of Jan. 29 the bill had not been filed.
NH Legal Wagering to Stay at 18
New Hampshire is one of four U.S. jurisdictions that set the legal wagering age at 18. For now, that’s where it will stay.
The New Hampshire House Ways and Means committee Jan. 27 declined to move forward HB 83, which would have raised the legal betting age to 21, reports iGB. The committee voted, 11-7, that the bill was “inexpedient to legislate,” which means that it is dead.
Kentucky, Wyoming and Washington, D.C. are the other three jurisdictions that allow 18-year-olds to place bets.
During the Ways and Means executive session, there was some conversation about whether or not to change the legal betting age.
Rep. Thomas Schamberg favored the bill, saying, “I think it is important that we make a statement about the age limit like we have about alcohol, tobacco products and vapes. Basically, I am supporting the age of 21 in New Hampshire.”
But Rep. Cyril Aures spoke for what turned out to be the majority.
“I’d just like to say that I see it as a liberty issue for young people,” he said. “If they want to bet with their money, let them bet.”
No Decision Made on Nicole Bowyer Settlement
At its monthly meeting Jan. 30, the Nevada Gaming Commission voted to table a proposed settlement for Nicole Bowyer, a registered casino host and wife of Mathew Bowyer, a convicted illegal bookmaker. Bowyer was her husband’s host at Resorts World Las Vegas, where he was known to launder his illicit proceeds. Thus, she profited off of his gambling losses, earning hundreds of thousands from the casino.
Commissioners sought harsher terms for what they deemed to be “especially egregious” conduct. No fine was included in the proposal, and they indicated they’d like one to be, but requested to know about the couple’s forfeitures as part of the ongoing criminal investigation. They also sought a lifetime ban rather than the proposed term of five years.
Activist Investor Nominates 3 for Penn Board
The New York-based investment firm HG Vora Jan. 29 nominated three director candidates to Penn Entertainment, accusing management of failing to help the group reach its “full potential,” reports iGB.
HG Vora charged Penn’s board of management with “reckless spending of nearly $4 billion” on M&A deals and media partnerships. The group called Penn’s interactive strategy an “abject failure” that has over promised and not delivered.
As a result, the firm, which holds a 4.8 percent shareholding in Penn, has nominated William J Clifford, Johnny Hartnett and Carlos Ruisanchez to Penn’s board of directors.
Hartnett is a former CEO of Superbet and has previously held director roles with Flutter’s Paddy Power Betfair business and Sportsbet. He also held other roles within the Flutter business, including as chief development officer during its acquisition of FanDuel.
Sports Betting in Paradise?
A Hawaii bill that would legalize digital sports betting was referred to the House Economic Development Committee Jan. 27. HB 1308 and its Senate partner, SB 1569, would allow for up to four wagering platforms and operators would be taxed at 10 percent of adjusted gross gaming revenue.
Hawaii currently has no form of legal gambling – it is one of a handful of U.S. states that does not have a lottery. But lawmakers have been entertaining the idea of legalizing sports betting for several sessions. The sports betting bills would also regulate and tax fantasy sports.
HB 1308 and SB 1569 are the latest gambling bills filed in Hawaii this session. SB 1572 would also allow for digital wagering at a 15 percent tax rate while banning daily fantasy. SB 1507 would legalize online casino but explicitly ban legal sports betting. And SB 373 is a stand-alone legal daily fantasy bill. None of the bills have been assigned hearing dates.
Sayonara Sweepstakes?
Mississippi Sen. Joey Fillingane is taking a different pathway toward dealing with the rise of unregulated sweepstakes platforms than his peers in New Jersey. Fillingame Jan. 20 introduced a bill that would ban the games. Online gambling is illegal in Mississippi, though lawmakers for several sessions have been trying to get digital wagering passed.
According to the bill, any “online race books, online sports pools and online sweepstakes-style casino game, is hereby declared to be a gambling device, and the offering of play or operating an online or interactive platform that offers for play such games with the State of Mississippi shall be deemed unlawful under the provisions of this section.”
Fillingane’s SB 2510 would make any violation of the law a felony, punishable by up to a $100,000 fine and up to 10 years in prison.
In New Jersey earlier this month, a bill regulating and taxing online sweepstakes was filed.
Sportsbooks Favor the Chiefs for First Time
The day after the NFL Conference Championships, digital sportsbooks across the U.S. and retail sportsbooks in Las Vegas showed they favored the Kansas City Chiefs to win the Super Bowl. In most cases, the Chiefs were listed as 1.5-point favorites over the Philadelphia Eagles. The Chiefs are playing in their third consecutive Super Bowl and have a chance to become the first team in NFL history to win three straight – but 2025 is the first time they have been favored.
On prediction site Kalshi, bettors also favored the Chiefs, 54-47 percent, and as of Jan. 29, $1.8 million in contracts had been placed.
Two Sports Lounges to Open in British Columbia
The British Columbia Lottery Corporation will open two new brick-and-mortar sportsbooks in the coming months, reports Canadian Gaming Business. A “lounge” at Chances Casino Kelowna is set for a “sneak peak” on Super Bowl Sunday before opening for regular business Feb. 10. The PROLINE venue has a 25-foot video wall. BCLC also plans to open a sportsbook at the Parq Casino in Vancouver in March.
“The lounges offer something for sports lovers and sports bettors alike, including a best-in-class sports viewing experience and sports-betting terminals offering a full suite of competitive and live odds,” a BCLC spokesperson told Canadian Gaming Business. “The sportsbook lounge is not just for sports betting, it is a go-to viewing destination for both regular game days and, for the biggest sporting events of the year, where B.C. sports fans and sports bettors can watch their favourite teams together, the home of the home team.”
In Other News …
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed into law the bill that strengthens digital sports betting and casino advertising guidelines, the Yonkers Times reported Jan. 28. In addition to including addiction helpline contact information, advertisements must now include warnings about harm that can be caused by addictive gambling.
ESPN Bet and the PGA Tour Jan. 27 announced they will debut a new betting stream Feb. 6 at the WM Phoenix Open. The new feed will be available on ESPN+ and is set to include six Tour events. It will provide live golf coverage ahead of the existing television broadcasts.
A Connecticut bill to allow betting on in-state college teams was filed Jan. 21 and referred to the Joint Committee on General Law. Betting on in-state teams is currently banned.
North Dakota lawmakers voted against a bill that would have brought legal online sports betting to the state. The House defeated HCR 3002, Jan. 22, with 70 representatives voting against and 24 voting for.
