Minnesota sports betting bill did not pass the legislative session

The approval of gambling legislation will now be postponed until the next legislative session. The legislative session in Minnesota concluded without the sports wagering legalization proposal being brought to a vote.

Minnesota will not see the legalization of sports betting this year as the legislative session concluded without addressing HF 2000. Despite making progress earlier in the year, with the bill passing through various committees such as the House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee, the House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee, and the Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee, it did not reach a vote.

Proposed by representative Zack Stephenson, the bill aimed to permit in-person sports betting at Minnesota’s 11 Native American tribal casinos, with the option for tribes to offer online gaming as well. Wagers placed on tribal land would remain untaxed, while online wagers would be subject to a 10 percent tax on net revenue.

Under the bill, the initial $2.7 million of wagering revenue in Minnesota would have been allocated to the state’s Commission of Public Safety, while an additional $1.35 million would have gone to the Commission of Revenue. The remaining revenue would have been divided between the Commission of Human Services and the Amateur Sports Integrity and Participation account.

The legislation also included provisions for criminal and civil penalties to address any violations related to betting.

Efforts to legalize sports betting in Minnesota have been ongoing for several years. In 2022, the state’s House passed House Bill 778, but it failed to advance through the Senate.