Minnesota Struggling to Pass Sports Betting Legislation

In the 10 or 11 states that have not yet passed retail/mobile sports betting legislation, it seems there are always efforts to sabotage the best of intentions. This was recently on display in Alabama where the state legislature thought they were on track to pass comprehensive gambling legislation. All came crashing down when the Alabama Senate nixed efforts to introduce sports betting and casino gambling while allowing parimutuel and lottery gambling to go forward.

In Minnesota, legislators have experienced similar difficulties. After two years of efforts, they are still struggling to get something to the desk of Governor Tim Walz for signing. Just when it seemed like something might get done here in 2024, another obstacle was brought to bear: one that stands to derail two pieces of legislation that looked good to go.

Bill Amendment Hurts Chances of Sports Betting Legislation Passing

At this point, the two key pieces of sports betting legislation that are in the offering are HF 2000 and SF 1949. Both bills were created to act as companion bills so the House and Senate could focus on sports betting legislation at the same time. It was the Senate bill that got hit with an amendment that could shut down any possibility of getting sports betting legislation passed this year.

Both bills are similar in that they want to create a highly regulated sports betting environment that is fun and yet safe for Minnesota residents. They also sought to make sure that measures are in place to protect gamblers from potential problem gambling issues.

It turns out there is one sticking point in the Senate. It was the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee that decided that live in-game wagering should not be allowed. In other words, wagers would not be permitted on games that had started.

Surprisingly, SF 1949 sponsor sponsor Sen. Matt Klein is okay with the amendment. However, there is a high likelihood that the amendment will get broad opposition when it gets back to the House and Senate floors.

In a tweet on X, House Representative Pat Garofalo stated:

"The MN Senate change to sports gambling bill to eliminate in-game wagering is unworkable. No state in the country has that type of ban. If sports gambling is going to happen this session, this poison pill will need to be removed."

From a sports bettor's perspective, the elimination of live in-game wagering would be a bit of a blow. Since the introduction of this betting option about 5 years ago, it has become a favorite among sports bettors all over the world. They seem to enjoy placing wagers after a game has started and at a time they can get a sense of how the game is going to be played.

It's not clear if this amendment will stymie the moving forward of these 2 pieces of sports betting legislation. Procedurally, both chambers will need to come together and see if they can reconcile the issue and come up with a bill that works for all concerned parties.