On Wednesday, the Minnesota House will hold a hearing on a bill that seeks to legalize sports betting in the state. If passed, the bill would allow for sports betting on a mobile app and at 11 tribal casinos.
Commerce Committee Chair Zack Stephenson of Coon Rapids shared that a new provision in the bill would establish a regulatory authority for daily fantasy sports betting. This amendment was added in the State Government committee and has led to changes that will be reviewed during the upcoming hearing.
Stephenson noted that the committee will have the opportunity to understand the modifications made in the State Government committee. The focus of the hearing will be on providing information about these changes. In addition to sports betting, Stephenson’s amendment also includes adjustments for charitable gaming. These adjustments are expected to bring about $40 million in annual tax relief for pull-tab operators.
However, not everyone is happy with these changes. The state’s horse tracks are against the bill and have raised concerns about its potential impact on their operations. They argue that allowing sports betting could lead to a decrease in revenue from charitable gaming and could harm their businesses.
