Talking Points: What are the odds Minnesota will legalize sports betting this year?
ST. PAUL, Minn. — What are the odds that Minnesota will legalize sports betting this year? Minnesota is an island, with every one of our neighboring states having legalized betting.
With the session starting Feb. 12, if passed, Minnesota would join with 38 other states that have legal betting.
In recent legislative sessions, sports betting bills have proved difficult to get across the finish line. Two major players at the Minnesota Legislature have sports betting bills they will introduce.
"No Minnesotan should have to go to Iowa to have fun, we should be able to do that right here in Minnesota," said Rep. Zack Stephenson of Coon Rapids.
Republican Sen. Jeremy Miller from Winona is introducing a similar bill, but his legislation includes a rollback to e-pull tab regulations.
"Other states have legalized it, plus Puerto Rico, Washington, D.C., we continue to miss out on this $100 billion industry," said Miller.
READ MORE: Minnesota Legislature poised to take another shot at sports betting in upcoming session
Both bills will have to overcome a major sticking point: Minnesota's Native American tribes. They have to have a major, even exclusive, control of any betting infrastructure. In 1989, the state of Minnesota gave exclusive gaming rights to the tribes.
Another sticking point: the scheduled changes to e-pull tabs in January 2025. The changes are backed by the tribes and would make e-pull tabs look less like slot machines. Miller's sports betting bill calls for the rollback of these changes, something thousands of local charities, including the Richfield VFW Post 555, want.
"Please reconsider, to think about the money that we're bringing in that we're able to give to others," said Stephanie Bedor, the Richfield VFW 555 gambling manager assistant. "The casinos make plenty of money, this small chunk of the pie is not going to affect them one way or another."
Taxes from legalized sports gambling would mean more money for addiction resources and education. Susan Sheridan Tucker, the executive director of the Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling, says legalization will help bring an existing problem out into the open.
"The recent 2022 Minnesota students survey indicated that 6,000 high school students are showing problematic gambling behavior. This should be a red flag to every parent," said Tucker.
Problem Gambling Resources: For anonymous, confidential help, people can call the Hotline at 1-800-333-HOPE or 1-800-Gambler.
Talking Points airs every Wednesday and Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., live on CBS News Minnesota.
NOTE: Above is a preview of Talking Points presented on "The 4."
