In the season of March Madness, it’s time to end the madness of not legalizing sports betting in Minnesota. According to the American Gaming Association, Americans will wager $3.1 billion on the NCAA Basketball tournament. However, in Minnesota, it is illegal offshore platforms that will capture those bets.
Unregulated, offshore betting apps are not vigilant in age verification, consumers have no ability to hold them accountable and their practices are unchecked. Minnesotans deserve a legal solution, that protects consumers and captures revenue for our state.
A recent poll shows that nearly 60% of Minnesota voters support legalizing sports wagering in Minnesota. Bipartisan legislators support it as well, and Gov. Tim Walz has said he would sign a bill if it was sent to him.
Let’s make the most of the opportunity and illustrated to Minnesota that we move popular ideas forward – despite our political divide.
As two former legislators, one Republican and one DFLer, we hope the “can do” attitude that will bring funding for youth sports, tax relief for charities and add resources to fight gambling addiction. Those are things the illegal market doesn’t deliver.
Through the years, a variety of options for the Legislature to consider that brought together stakeholders of the tribes, horse racing tracks, charitable gambling organizations, and sports books has failed to pass. The end of the last legislative session had an agreement among stakeholders, but not legislators. It seems like a good idea to start with the framework from the previous session and build a bipartisan consensus to pass the legislation. There could be a GOP member from the House and a DFL member from the Senate who introduce the legislation. Minnesotans want bipartisanship, and they want action on this issue this session. We want to take a moment to highlight why legalizing sports betting is important public policy for Minnesota.
Continuing the delay of passing the legalization of sports betting in Minnesota allows the illicit market to continue and exploitation to create more victims. The illicit market is not going away unless transparency is shined on the system. Additionally, the revenue from sports betting would allow the Legislature to fund proven public health programming for problem gambling.
Minnesota needs to remain competitive. Iowa, Wisconsin and the Dakotas (heck 39 states) offer legalized sports betting which takes economic opportunity away from our state and businesses. Minnesota can no longer remain an island, not offering legal sports betting in a state where we have teams in all the major sports leagues.
This is the year action on sports betting, not just conversation. This legislation will take bipartisan support and effort. We are confident the bipartisan members of the House and the Senate are up to the task. We urge the Legislature to listen to the public and pass legislation that would legalize sports betting in Minnesota this session.
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Karla Bigham, D, is a former Minnesota state senator and John Kriesel, R, is a former Minnesota state representative.
The Trust Project
