Minnesota Sports Betting Updates

Minnesota Legal Sports Betting Overview

Minnesota Sports Betting Summary

Online and retail sports betting are both illegal in Minnesota. There have been several attempts to legalize sports betting headed by Senator Roger Chamberlain, Sen. Karla Bigham, and Representative Pat Garafolo. However, opposition from the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association has ended most attempts. The most recent legislation sponsored by Rep. Zack Stephenson, HF 778, passed the House on May 12, 2022. The Senate sent the bill back to the House with amendments, and there was no further action when the 2022 legislative session shut on May 22.

The Minnesota Indian Gaming Association is concerned sports betting will negatively impact its gaming revenues. Any bill that passes will need to include the tribes, so retail sports betting will likely launch at tribal land-based casinos. However, HF 778 would have allowed for sports betting to launch at the state’s non-tribal casinos located at racetracks. The next chance to legalize sports betting will probably be in 2023.

Read our guide to sports betting in Minnesota to learn what sports you can bet on, the likely legal restrictions on wagering, and the latest sports betting legislation.

Minnesota Online Sportsbooks Summary

Online sports betting is not yet legal in Minnesota. While there is a lot of support for sports betting in the state, the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association greatly influences whether any bills pass and ultimately whether MN joins the list of legal betting states.

The Gaming Association has opposed past bills due to concerns over sharing sports betting with the state’s two non-tribal casinos. All 11 tribes also voiced concerns over the benefits of sports betting to the Minnesota gaming community, and particularly its impact on the casinos they run. These concerns focused on a lack of current understanding of sports betting's impacts on tribal casinos, particularly in the handing of retail sports betting licenses to the states' two non-tribal casinos. This was felt by the tribes to have the potential to hurt their market share of Minnesota betting in the long run. The Gaming Association represents the state’s 11 tribes, which operate 19 tribal casinos. Online sports betting may be limited to the grounds of these casinos when it launches.

If online sports betting launches in MN, big betting operators like DraftKings, BetMGM, FanDuel, and Caesars are expected to partner with tribes and launch their sportsbooks in the state. These operators have experience partnering with tribes – for example, FanDuel partnered with Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment to launch in Connecticut while BetMGM also has experience launching sportsbooks on casino grounds with the Gold Strike Casino Resort and Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Mississippi.

In the meantime, Minnesotans can bet on horse racing online with the likes of TVG, TwinSpires, and BetAmerica or play Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) with ESPN, Boom, Yahoo!, FantasyDraft, DraftKings, and FanDuel. Alternatively, you can travel across the border and place legal online wagers in Iowa, where the available sportsbooks include BetMGM, Caesars, and FanDuel. Online sports betting is also available in northern neighbor Ontario, Canada, where bet365, BetVictor, and bwin are among the live sportsbooks.

How to Place a Bet in Minnesota

Horse race betting is the only kind of online betting available in Minnesota. Follow our step-by-step guide to place legal horse racing bets today:

1. Research your chosen horse race. Knowing horses’ form, the conditions, and expert tips will give you the best chance of placing winning bets.

2. Visit a legal horse racing betting site like TVG, TwinSpires, or BetAmerica.

3. Register your account by providing your email, full name, address, phone number, and the last four digits of your Social Security number. Horse racing betting sites need this information to verify your account and protect you from underage gambling and fraud.

4. Confirm you are at least 18 years old and agree to the site’s terms and conditions.

5. Visit the site’s cashier section and choose a payment method for making a deposit. You can select how much to add, but ensure you deposit enough to claim any welcome bonuses.

6. Select a horse race and choose a bet based on your research. Add it to your bet slip, select your stake, and place your bet.

7. If your bet is successful, return to the cashier section and follow the instructions to withdraw any winnings.

Who is Eligible to Bet in MN?

There is no legal sports betting in Minnesota, so there is no definitive answer to who will be eligible to bet in the state. The current gambling age in Minnesota is 18, but most states in the US require you to be at least 21 years old to bet. Your age would be verified by photo ID at retail and online sportsbooks. In addition, it’s likely that the following circumstances and positions will restrict individuals from being able to place a bet:

• Players, coaches, employees, or members of any professional or college sports team.

• Officials, referees, or umpires of professional or college sports leagues.

• Individuals who have professional or regulatory authority to influence players.

• Individuals employed by a sports league who can create or influence rules for that sport (e.g., NBA, NCAA)

• Individuals who has an ownership stake in a sports team.

• Individuals who have access to non-public information about a sports team (e.g., access to player medical records)

• Individuals prohibited from betting at a state or federal level (e.g., due to criminal history).

• Individuals that have voluntarily excluded themselves from gambling activities.

Latest Minnesota Sports Betting Updates

Timeline for Sports Betting in Minnesota

• July 9, 2022: Sen. Bigham suggests a potential special legislative session in August. Although the session is unlikely to discuss it, it does offer the opportunity of legalizing sports betting in the North Star State.

• May 22, 2022: The Minnesota legislative deadline passes without agreement on sports betting legislation.

• May 19, 2022: The Minnesota Senate Finance Committee returns HF 778 to the House with a major amendment to allow the non-tribal racetrack casinos in MN to operate sportsbooks alongside tribal casinos.

• May 12, 2022: The Minnesota House approves HF 778 with some amendments and sends it to the Senate. This version of the bill only allows sports betting licenses for tribal casinos.

• February 4, 2022: Rep. Stephenson’s HF 778, a bill to legalize online and retail sports betting, is introduced to the House.

• February 4, 2021: SF 574, a bill to create a sports wagering commission, is introduced to the Senate. The bill is sent to the Committee of State Government Finance and Policy and Elections and is abandoned. HF 769 and HF 767 are introduced to the House to legalize sports wagering, but are referred to the Committee of Commerce Finance and Policy. No further action is taken on HF 767 or HF 769.

• January 28, 2021: Sen. Bigham introduces SF 410 to the Senate, a bill to legalize sports betting. The bill includes plans to establish a Sports Wagering Commission and an 8% tax for mobile betting. However, the bill never gains support and is abandoned.

• January 19, 2021: HF 167, a bill to legalize sports betting, is introduced to the House by Rep. Stephenson and Rep. John Huot. The bill is referred to the Committee of Commerce and Finance and is abandoned.

• March 11, 2020: All Minnesotan bills introduced in odd years are carried over to even years, including HF 1278 and SF 1894. Sen Chamberlain amends the bill to include a provision for in-person registration requirements for online sportsbooks. The Minnesota Indian Gaming Association rejects the bill.

• February 28, 2019: Sen. Chamberlain introduces SF 1894, a bill to legalize retail and online sports betting, to the Senate.

• February 18, 2019: Rep. Garofalo introduces HF 1278, a bill to legalize retail and online sports betting, to the House. The bill gives exclusive sports betting rights to Minnesota tribes, so you would only be able to wager at tribal casinos. This includes online betting. However, the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association opposes the bill, and there is no further action.

• May 14, 2018: The US Supreme Court strikes down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA). This gives each state the right to legalize sports betting.

Minnesota Sports Betting Background

Minnesotans were wagering on sports more than two centuries ago, betting beaver pelts on sports like canoeing on the Mississippi River. In 1985, the North Star state opened its first horse racing track at Canterbury Downs, with nearly $868,000 bet on its first race. In 1989, the first gambling compact was signed with native tribes in Minnesota to allow the launch of casinos, with the Minnesota State Lottery launching a year later. However, this gambling industry growth didn’t spread to sports betting as PASPA passed in 1992.

There have been multiple attempts to legalize sports betting since the US Supreme Court struck down PASPA in 2018, which allowed each state to regulate its own sports betting industry. For example, Sen. Chamberlain introduced SF 1894 in 2019, but this was criticized by four different problem gambling organizations for what they saw as a strong potential to cause an increase in problem gambling in the state, alongside a failure to legislate for adequate resources to deal with this issue. This bill was also rejected by the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association. Sen. Bigham introduced five sports betting bills in 2021, but every bill was rejected by the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association and killed before it hit the floor.

Rep. Stephenson’s HF 778 was the latest attempt to legalize sports betting. The bill received approval from the House, but after being sent back by the Senate Finance Committee, it failed to pass, having missed the 2022 legislative deadline.

Future of Minnesota Sports Betting

A poll from television station KSTP in April 2022 revealed 64% of Minnesotans supported sports betting, with just 17% opposing legalization. However, the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association’s support is crucial for any sports betting bill. Its commitment to bringing sports betting to MN has recently been put under threat by the potential of licensing the two non-tribal casinos in the North Star State. With the Minnesota Legislative Session ending on May 22, 2022, HF 778 failed to pass, though lawmakers plan to reintroduce legislation similar when the next Minnesota legislative session begins in early January, 2023. Sen. Bigham has suggested the state could run a special session in August once the primary election is complete, and sports betting may be one of the topics discussed.

Betway sportsbook has partnered with the Minnesota Timberwolves, meaning it will likely try and launch when sports betting is legalized. Other projected operators include DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, and PointsBet.

Minnesota Sports Betting Locations

There are 19 tribal casinos operating in MN, and the state’s two racetracks also operate licensed card casinos. Lawmakers have debated which types of casinos should be licensed to operate retail sportsbooks. HF 778 failed to pass during the 2022 legislative session largely because it tried to include the non-tribal casinos located at racetracks in its legislation. Tribal authorities hold great sway in Minnesota and have previously disrupted the momentum behind multiple sports betting bills. Tribal casinos will almost certainly operate retail sportsbooks in the future, but there is still uncertainty surrounding the offerings of racetrack casinos.

Minnesota bettors can visit neighboring South Dakota’s four retail sportsbooks in Deadwood City. Nearby Iowa offers 19 retail sportsbooks and online wagering anywhere in the state. Alternatively, you can head north across the border to Ontario in Canada and place legal online sports bets.

Minnesota Lottery Locations

The Minnesota State Lottery was launched in 1990 after a voter referendum to change the state’s constitution. While the Minnesota State Lottery has been suggested as a potential regulator for a prospective sports betting industry, most lawmakers want to create a new body, the Minnesota Sports Wagering Commission, or give responsibilities to the Minnesota Gambling Control Board. It’s unlikely the Minnesota State Lottery will be involved in regulating sports betting, and lottery retailers probably won’t offer sports betting kiosks if the industry is legalized in MN.

Off-Track and Stadium Betting Locations

Retail sports betting will be limited to casinos in Minnesota, so no sportsbooks will launch at stadiums or sports venues, despite Betway’s partnership with the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves. The two non-tribal casinos operate at racetracks and may be allowed to launch retail sportsbooks if sports betting legislation passes.

Pari-mutuel wagering was legalized by a state constitutional amendment in 1982 and legislated in 1983. The state’s first racetrack, Canterbury Downs, opened in 1985. However, Rep. Jim Rice filed a lawsuit against off-track betting (OTB) in 1991, which halted any operations. OTB locations are now legal in the state, but you can only find them at the two horse racing tracks.

Minnesota Responsible Gambling Resources

• National Council of Problem Gambling Minnesota – Alongside a national helpline, the site offers links to a variety of resources, including screening tools, and local treatment facilities. (800) 522-4700

• Gamblers Anonymous – Provides meetings where problem gamblers can share their experiences, a 20-question screening guide, and a full recovery program. (855) 222-5542

• GetGamblingHelp – Operated by the Minnesota Department of Human Services, this site offers ways to find yourself treatment, examples of individuals who have recovered from gambling addiction, and advice through its social media channels. (800) 522-4700

There is no central gambling self-exclusion program in Minnesota, as the casinos operate under many different tribal authorities. However, many casinos will let you self-exclude from individual premises. The Minnesota Department of Human Services offers all Minnesotans free problem gambling recovery treatment, even if their insurance won’t cover it.

Teams to Bet on in Minnesota

• Pro Sports

Minnesota Vikings: Despite reaching the seventh-most playoff games of any NFL franchise, including winning four Conference Championships, the Minnesota Vikings have won none of the four Super Bowls they have reached. Playing in purple, gold, and white at the 67,000-seater US Bank Stadium, the gigantic Viking Gjallarhorn is blown during pre-game ceremonies. The team’s fans have also adopted the Viking Thunder Clap, adding “skol” instead of the traditional “huh.”

Minnesota Timberwolves: Founded as an expansion franchise in 1989 after the Lakers moved to Los Angeles in 1960, the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves are perhaps best known for Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett. Garnett played 13 years of his career at the 19,000-seater Target Center, leading the team to the Midwest Division title and winning the NBA MVP award in 2004.

Minnesota Twins: Named after the Twins City area, the MLB’s Minnesota Twins are three-time World Series winners. The team plays at the 40,000-seater Target Field. Previously the team was based in Washington DC and was known as the Washington Senators and Washington Nationals before moving to Minnesota.

Minnesota Wild: Minnesota Wild represents the North Star State in the NHL and began playing in the 2000/1 season. The Wild picked up its only trophy in 2008 by winning the Northwest Division. The eye of the Minnesota Wilds’ logo is the north star, providing a nod to the Minnesota North Stars NHL franchise, which moved to Dallas in 1993. The animal in the logo is undefined, which has sparked debate in the logo enthusiast community.

• College Sports

Minnesota Golden Gophers: Representing the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, the Golden Gophers have won three National Championships in men’s baseball. The baseball program has also won 24 Big Ten Regular Season Championships. The football team has picked up seven National Championships and plays at the 51,000-capacity Huntington Bank Stadium. The team’s name is loosely inspired by an 1885 cartoon in which R.O. Sweeney depicted MN lawmakers as gophers dragging the state in the wrong direction.

St. Thomas Tommies: Led by colorful mascot Tommy the Tiger, the St. Thomas Tommies represent the University of Saint Thomas. The football team was promoted to NCAA Division I FCS in 2022 and plays at the 5,000-capacity O’Shaughnessy Stadium. The team is coached by Glenn Caruso, who led the Tommies to a .847 record in his first 12 seasons in charge.

• Women's Sports

Minnesota Lynx: One of the most successful teams in WNBA history, the Minnesota Lynx have won four Championships. The numbers of Lindsay Whalen, Rebekkah Brunson, and Seimone Augustus have all been retired following their crucial contributions to those victories.

How Does Minnesota Compare to Other States?

• Market Coverage

When sports betting launches in Minnesota, it’s likely local casino operators will partner with major brands like PointsBet, BetMGM, FanDuel, and DraftKings. These sportsbooks cover a wide range of professional sports, including major league events and niche sports like golf and MMA. Online horse racing is already available in Minnesota, whereas this type of betting is banned in states like Alaska and Hawaii.

• Competitive Odds & Prices

The operators most likely to launch in Minnesota are available in dozens of states across the US. These sportsbooks offer the same betting lines in every state, so MN bettors will get the same odds as everyone else. These sportsbooks also operate in states with lots of competition and have to provide generous betting odds to stand out. For example, New Jersey has 21 different sportsbook brands. One of the most likely sites to launch is Betway, which has an official partnership with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The sportsbook offers generous and exclusive odds on all Timberwolves NBA games.

• Gambling Revenue

As of June 2022, nearby Iowa has collected $4,029,436,770 in sports betting handle. Sportsbooks took revenue of $243,651,203 million in this time, producing a tax of $17,542,437 million for the state. Iowa’s population is around 3.2 million, so its sports revenue per capita is $76. Applying this number to Minnesota’s population gives revenue of $433,761,640 since Iowa legalized sports betting in August 2020. That’s around $144,587,213 in missed yearly revenue for MN.

Sen. Bigham proposed a tax rate of 8% for online sportsbooks with SF 410. Applying this to the sportsbook revenue above, that’s around $11.5 million in taxes missed every year. This does not account for the fact that Minnesota has four major league teams compared to none in Iowa, and this quartet could bring in even more sports betting revenue. However, revenue could also be much lower if MN online sports betting is limited to when bettors are on the property of land-based casinos.

• Betting Taxes

Sports bettors must declare all gambling winnings to the IRS regardless of what regulations pass in Minnesota. If you win more than $600, you must fill out a W-2G form. All sportsbooks can also hold up to 25% of your winnings for tax purposes. In addition, your gambling winnings need to be included in your state income tax. Minnesota has four tax brackets based on your income – 5.35%, 7.05%, 7.85%, and 9.85%.

Every sportsbook must pay an excise tax of 0.25% of its monthly betting handle following the Internal Revenue Code. Every employee involved in taking wager also costs a $50 fee.

Who Oversees Sports Betting in Minnesota?

Currently, there is no regulatory body that oversees sports betting in Minnesota. Different bills have suggested different regulators for the prospective sports betting market, with many suggesting the Minnesota Gambling Control Board takes the responsibility. The Control Board already oversees charitable gaming in the state like bingo. However, HF 778 suggested the creation of a new regulatory body, the Minnesota Sports Wagering Commission.

The Minnesota Indian Gaming Association would also oversee the sports betting industry. While any state regulatory body would license sportsbook operators, it would be the Minnesota tribes making partnerships and handling the launch of the market.