With the legislative season quickly approaching, a Minnesota lawmaker is looking to introduce a sports betting bill that would be unpopular with the industry.
Democrat-Farmer-Labor Sen. John Marty told Gambling Harm he would introduce a new Minnesota sports betting bill focusing on responsible gambling. Marty’s amendments have drawn criticism from sports betting proponents during previous efforts.
Sports betting legislation has come close to passage in Minnesota in previous years, including a reported goal line deal earlier this year.
Minnesota sports betting bill details
Marty calls the sports betting industry “predatory.” He has previously tried to derail sports betting attempts.
“My first thing was trying to just plain stop it, which we’ve succeeded in doing for the last couple of years,” Marty told Gambling Harm. “But I want to change the dynamic and start talking about the harms and what can we do to protect [people]. So, I introduced a bill allowing sports betting. I started with the bill [the industry] had and put in the safeguards we need as a minimum.”
With that in mind, his bill focuses on consumer protections and responsible gambling.
Consumer protection details
Marty’s proposal includes strict advertising guidelines, including bans on public property and the use of “risk-free.”
Other inclusions:
- Ban college prop bets and in-game wagering
- Deposit limits of $500 in a 24-hour period and $3,000 in a month
- Activity limits of no more than four consecutive hours
- 40% tax rate on operator revenue
Marty also includes a “red flag law” that would allow family members to report potential issues to regulators.
Minnesota sports betting detractors remain steadfast
Along with Marty, there is plenty of opposition on both sides of the aisle in Minnesota. Following the November election, the state’s legislature is nearly split 50-50 in both the House and Senate.
DFL Sen. Erin Maye Quade told LSR this fall that there were not enough votes to pass sports betting earlier this year, despite reports that it was close but ran out of time. Maye Quade also told LSR that the opposition would not decrease.
She said the issue is not a priority for either party platform.
Stakeholders bringing it back
Republican Sen. Jeremy Miller and Rep. Zack Stephenson have been the major proponents of sports betting. Miller has already stated that he plans to fight for it this session.
Whether Stephenson will lead another effort is up in the air, but one of his co-sponsors, Rep. John Huot, told LSR he is ready to carry the baton if not.
The road to passage is split between proponents on both sides of the aisle. The DFL wants tribes to control the industry, while Republicans want the horse racing tracks involved. Last year, there were several months of contentious back-and-forth between stakeholders.
