Certain Officials Want to See Minnesota Sports Betting Safeguards in Place

Momentum for Minnesota sports betting once again appears to be flipping.

Entering 2025, hopes remained high that The Land of 10,000 Lakes would progress toward legalization. However, as talks got underway, efforts to pass sports betting in Minnesota started hitting new snags. While a pair of companion bills were on the table, many wondered whether either would have enough support from their respective chambers in the House of Representatives and Senate.

Fast forward to now, and, well, this is to some extent the case. Committee votes for both versions of initiatives have featured gridlocks. But officials close to the situation remain optimistic. 

In particular, the House proposal, HF 1842, has members of congress buzzing. A good amount of legislators believe “the bill has a good chance of becoming law as it moves through the committed process.” 

The terms of HF 1842 limit Minnesota sports betting operations to tribal nations. Some speculate this could be a point of contention. Going this route protects tribal sovereignty and their business models. As many note, however, it fails to capitalize on the accessibility and profitability of online sports betting in the United States.

Still, these concerns have not prevented HF 1842 from receiving plenty of support among stakeholders. Tribal nations, tracks, charities and Minnesota sports franchises have all advocated for the terms. This ostensibly means congressional sentiments as the final hurdle. And as of now, it feels like there’s a real chance HF 1842 clears it—provided the bill’s safety measures are deemed more than satisfactory.

Policymakers Want to Set New Standard with the Latest Minnesota Sports Betting Bill

To this point, the strongest opposition for the latest Minnesota sports betting initiative has come from religious groups and advocates for those dealing with addictive gambling. Many of these opponents remain unmoved by the structure of HF 1842. 

Sponsors and supporters of the proposal have made it clear they view problem-gambling prevention and treatment as well as effective regulation as cornerstones of the initiative. In fact, setting the standard for regulation of sports betting in the United States is apparently one of the primary goals. As Kilat Fitzgerald of FOX 9 in Minnesota writes:

“However, Senator Matt Klein (DFL-Mendota Heights) previously said he had the right coalition to pass sports betting this year. His bill, which almost passed in 2024, would’ve created a 22 percent tax on winnings and spread some of the revenue between tribes, horse tracks, charities, youth sports, and addressed problem gambling. He says addicted gamblers are already using illegal betting sites, so his bill would rein in bad behavior.

“‘My bill has significant guardrails," says Senator Klein. ‘I could name more than 12 of them. And Senator [John] Marty would like some more. And we can keep talking about that.’” The money is then split between charities, tribes that don’t have gambling operations, horse tracks, sports tourism, and youth sports, with 10 percent also going to address compulsive gambling.”

The 10 percent allocation to compulsive gambling programs stands out. Across the country, similar allocations check in somewhere between 2.5 percent and 5 percent. This means the Minnesota sports betting bill more than doubles the contributions of most peers. But is that enough?

HF 1842 May Need to Include More Safety Measures to Receive the Necessary Support

If HF 1842 gets put to a vote as currently constituted, it will likely fail. Senator Marty has become the voice of opposition. He fully admits that Minnesota sports betting legalization is “inevitable,” but he continues to stress its profound downsides.

"Gambling and addiction is as powerful as any opioid or other addiction," he says (via FOX 9). "In fact, it's the highest suicide rate of any addiction.”

This is a troubling reality—and a viable stance to assume. Like Senator Klein, Senator Marty himself and others point out, though, sports betting in Minnesota already takes place. The right kind of regulation might be able to make it safer.

Senator Marty has additional safeguards in mind that he and others believe can accomplish this. He has proposed more cookie-cutter measures, such as banning prop bets in Minnesota, to more extreme guidelines, such as saddling gambling companies with liability when the most extreme issues arise.

The liability is bound to receive some push-back from gambling companies themselves as well as pro-capitalism politicians. Sports betting sites in the United States are already subject to fines by local regulatory bodies. Senator Marty’s proposal implies a greater level of liability. This presumes something along the lines of staging background checks to ensure customers are not betting money they do not have. 

Time will Tell What Happens to the Fate of Sports Betting in Minnesota

Most states do not place that kind of liability on mobile sports betting sites. At the same time, Senator Marty’s push isn’t totally novel. Regulators for sports betting in Massachusetts are currently considering a bill that would require sportsbooks to conduct more thorough financial well-being checks of its customers.

For now, it remains too early—and too close—to deliver a final verdict on Minnesota sports betting. But if Senator Marty’s additional bans and stipulations make it on to the bill and it passes, it will indeed mark a cornerstone moment for the legal sports betting industry across the entire United States. 

Take a look at this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can find one that works for all of your sports betting needs: