A bill in the Minnesota State House has bipartisan support. It also has the backing of the eleven tribal nations in the state. Sports betting could be coming to the land of 10,000 lakes.
Representative Zach Stephenson wrote the bill, which would legalize betting on sports in the state. Minnesotans would be able to place bets at casinos and using mobile apps if the bill is adopted into law.
Since the Supreme Court decided to leave the decision to legalize sports betting up to individual states, tribes in Minnesota have opposed legalized sports gambling. That position has changed as more than 30 states have legalized the practice and reaped the financial benefits of doing so.
“What we have done is develop a model that is specific to Minnesota, that works with the dynamic that we have here in Minnesota, that’s designed for Minnesotans,” Stephenson said, noting that he worked with pro teams and tribes in the state to craft the language of the bill.
The bill calls for a 10% tax on revenue from mobile bets. Bets made in brick-and-mortar casinos owned by Native American tribes would not be taxed.
The State Legislature will now hear debates and vote on the bill. If it is passed by the legislature, a spokesperson for Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz says he has indicated he would sign it into law.
