Online Sports Betting in Minnesota

Sports betting is not legal in Minnesota, but this may change soon as legalization efforts have picked up steam in recent years.

While sports betting bills introduced during the 2022 legislative session were unsuccessful, many believe that the activity will be legalized in the near future as the state’s lawmakers, voters, and tribes all seem to be in favor of it.

Here’s everything you need to know about online sports betting in Minnesota.

Recent News and Details About Sports Betting in Minnesota

• Sports betting is not yet legal in Minnesota despite multiple attempts by lawmakers to pass related legislation over the past several years.
• There are 11 tribes in Minnesota that operate a total of 19 casinos. Many of these tribes are concerned that sports betting legalization would have a negative impact on the state’s gaming industry.
• Despite concerns from some of the state’s tribes, the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association attempted to work with legislators in 2022 to legalize sports betting. However, a Senate amendment that would have legalized the activity at two horse racing tracks was a deal breaker for the state’s tribes.
• Due to the state’s failure to pass related legislation in 2022, bettors will need to wait until 2023 at the earliest to be able to bet on sports in Minnesota.
• If sports betting is legalized, it will likely include online and mobile betting as both of the bills that were introduced in 2022 specifically included provisions for mobile betting.
• Horse race betting is legal in Minnesota and there are two race tracks located in the state. Bettors can use platforms like TVG, TwinSpires, and BetAmerica to bet on horse races online.

Is Online Sports Betting Legal in Minnesota? A Timeline

Minnesota has not yet legalized sports betting, but this is likely to change in the near future as state lawmakers remain dedicated to passing relevant legislation. Here’s a closer look at some of the most recent developments in Minnesota with regard to gambling and sports betting.

• July 26, 2022: Negotiations between Canterbury Park, one of Minnesota’s race tracks, and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community are ongoing. In the meantime, the race track’s future is unclear.
• July 19, 2022: Iowa, one of Minnesota’s neighbors, continues to expand sports betting as Minnesota is slow to legalize it. Now, Iowa lets sportsbooks go so far as to offer betting on the American Cornhole League and coin tosses at the beginning of NFL games.
• July 9, 2022: While Minnesota was unable to pass sports betting legislation earlier in 2022, Sen. Karla Bigham says that there could be a special session in August, and sports betting is one of the issues that may be discussed.
• May 22, 2022: The Minnesota legislature reaches its deadline without passing sports betting legislation. This issue likely won’t be addressed again until 2023.
• May 19, 2022: The Senate Finance Committee sends the House sports betting bill to the floor with an amendment that includes sports betting at the state’s race tracks. This amendment makes the bill unlikely to succeed.
• May 12, 2022: The House passes its sports betting bill by a vote of 70-57, and the bill will now move to the Senate for consideration.
• April 29, 2022: The House sports betting bill moves to the chamber floor. However, as the Senate wants a broader approach than the House bill offers, sports betting legalization may be off the table for 2022.

How Do Minnesota Residents Feel About Sports Betting?

As the Minnesota legislature continues to debate sports betting legalization, a recent poll conducted by KTSP and SurveyUSA indicates that most state residents are in favor of legalizing sports betting.

The poll asked participants whether they believe sports betting should remain against the law or be made legal. While 64% of respondents said they believe sports betting should be legalized, only 17% disapprove of legalizing it. These results were fairly consistent amongst conservative, moderate, and liberal voters.

When asked where in-person sports betting should be allowed if legalized, 57% of respondents support the activity at tribal casinos and the state’s two horse racing tracks, while 7% said it should only be legal at tribal casinos.

Are Daily Fantasy Sports Apps Legal in Minnesota?

Daily fantasy sports (DFS) apps are popular with sports fans as they allow them to create fantasy teams and compete against other users in daily contests for cash and other prizes. In many states, these apps operate in a legal gray area due to a lack of regulation.

Minnesota has made attempts to pass legislation to regulate DFS contests and make them legal. However, these attempts have been unsuccessful. Still, DFS platforms like DraftKings and FanDuel continue to operate in Minnesota and accept entries from local residents.

Minnesota Sports Betting FAQs

Editor’s Note: Information accurate as of August 2022.

Neighboring States That Legalized Sports Betting

Each of the four states that border Minnesota has already legalized sports betting, including Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. It is only available in a limited capacity in a few of these states, though.

• Iowa: Iowa offers both retail and online sports betting. Sports betting was legalized in 2019, and the state’s first mobile sportsbooks went live later that year. Iowa state law allows for over 50 online sportsbooks and there are currently over a dozen available to bettors in the state.
• North Dakota: While North Dakota has not passed any legislation to legalize sports betting, tribal casinos began taking sports bets at the end of 2021. Online sports betting is not legal in the state, and recent attempts to legalize it have been unsuccessful.
• South Dakota: Retail sports betting is legal in South Dakota but is limited to casinos in the city of Deadwood. State lawmakers are currently working to pass legislation that would legalize statewide mobile sports betting.
• Wisconsin: Sports betting is available in Wisconsin but is limited to retail betting at a selection of tribal casinos in the state. Some of these casinos offer mobile betting apps, but they can only be used while on-site at a casino.