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Minnesota Preparing Legislation to Legalize Sports Gambling

Neil Parker

Last Updated: March 3, 2022 11:26 AM EST • 1 min 19 sec read.

With legal sports gambling on all four of Minnesota’s borders, state lawmakers are proposing to make it happen on their own turf sooner than later.

And there’s expected to be bipartisan support. 

Senate Republicans are set to lay out their sports betting plan Wednesday, Feb. 16, and Rep. Zack Stephenson (DFL-Coon Rapids) is optimistic legislation will be ready in a few weeks with legal sports betting available this year to Minnesotans. 

https://twitter.com/ButlerBets/status/1494039924663795714

“I’m really optimistic that Minnesota will be able to place safe and legal bets in Minnesota by the time the 2022 NFL season kicks off, and if not then, by the time the Vikings play the Packers, for sure,” he said.

Stephenson is not the only supporter, either.

“The time has passed for us to do this,” said State Representative Pat Garofalo, R-Farmington, who’s been pushing for betting legalization for years.

Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller is another proponent of a bill passing this year.

“I’ve long been a strong supporter of legalizing sports betting in Minnesota,” said Miller. “Senator Roger Chamberlain is the author of this bill in the Senate and we continue to encourage the stakeholders to work together toward a proposal that can gain enough support to pass the legislature and get signed by the governor.”

Currently, Stephenson is meeting with the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association (MIGA) to discuss specifics, and the MIGA would need to agree on large-scale change, such as the legalization of sports gambling. 

“The tribal governments making up MIGA have been examining the various ways sports betting has been implemented across the country and its impacts on tribal communities,” the MIGA said in its most recent statement on the issue. “As gaming experts, tribes stand ready to share this expertise with lawmakers considering the future of sports betting in Minnesota.”

With momentum building, and a record number of Americans legally gambling on sports, it would appear Minnesota isn't far from legalizing sports betting. 

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Written By:
Neil Parker
A lifelong Cowboys, Cubs, Maple Leafs and Gators supporter, Neil has been covering sports in print and online since 2011. His past stops include USA TODAY, theScore, DraftKings Playbook and RotoWire among others. He's a graduate of St. Thomas University and Acadia University and spends ample time at KenWo Golf Club.