Despite Minnesota’s House of Representatives having a nearly 12-hour floor discussion Wednesday, a sports betting bill listed on the day’s calendar was never mentioned.
Legislators have flipped-flopped on the likelihood of sports betting being legalized throughout the state’s legislative session, and time is running out for the optimists. The bill could be discussed Friday, but the state’s legislative session ends Monday, and the bill (HF 5274) has yet to through either chamber.
It’s unclear if the effort has enough to through either the House or Senate, but efforts don’t look promising with such little time remaining.
No states have legalized sports betting in 2024, and although Minnesota seemingly made some progress toward legalization this year, it’ll take significant movement in just a few days for the state to legalize. It’s becoming increasingly likely legislators will have to broach the subject again in 2025.
Minnesota bill details 6w626
The bill, which also bans historical horse racing machines in the state, would give the state’s 11 tribes access to mobile operator licenses. Tribal exclusivity has angered some of the state’s horse-racing tracks and has long been a debate among Minnesota legislators.
Should the bill move forward, bettors in the state could have access to up to 11 mobile betting apps.
Sports betting would be taxed at 20% of gross gaming revenue, and daily fantasy sports sites would also be legalized under the bill. Those would be taxed at 10%, rather than the 20% for sports betting.
