Sports Betting Bill Fails To Advance In Minnesota As Session Ends

Sports betting will not be legalized in Minnesota this year as the legislative session ends. Lawmakers made a last second effort to pass legislation but ran out of time. In fact, the session ended Sunday May 19 without sports betting even being considered. Minnesota joins the ongoing trend in 2024 of markets not passing sports betting. No state has advanced sports betting legislation this year.

Minnesota Sportsbooks Delayed Another Year

Minnesota’s legislative session was mired in political back and forth, filibusters, and even an arrest of a state Senator that caused the sports betting issue to take a back seat. Lawmakers were simply not on the same page enough for sportsbook legislation to advance.

The sports betting measure, HF 5274, was filed by Rep. Zach Stephenson. It would have regulated sports betting and granted 11 local tribes exclusive access to online betting licenses. This would have opened the door for the best sports betting sites to launch in Minnesota through tribal partnerships. Sportsbooks would have been taxed at a 20% rate, and the legal betting age would have been set at 21 years old.

Minnesota Missing Out On Potential Revenue

Minnesota’s lack of sports betting options is very apparent, especially in 2024. The Minnesota Timberwolves are having their best NBA season since 2004, making it to the Western Conference Finals. Locals would surely love to take action on their team throughout the NBA postseason, but unfortunately, they cannot do so in-state.

With the lack of regulated betting, the North Star State is missing out on potential millions in revenue. The Minnesota Department of Revenue projects the market could rake in upwards of $400 million in the first three years of activity. Now, the market has to wait at least another year for legislation to pass.

No Market Passed Sports Betting In 2024

Since PASPA was repealed in 2018, there has been sports betting legislation passing every year. This is the first year that no new market has legalized sports betting. It is a combination of markets failing to advance legislation as well as there being less markets without betting.

There are now 38 states that have regulated betting legislation. Several markets have tried and failed to launch over the years like Georgia, Texas, and California. Market’s like Utah, Alaska, and Idaho see little interest from their local governments to push sports betting.

This may be the sign of the sports betting industry plateauing instead of the constant growth since 2018. Maybe 2025 can be a more fruitful year for sports betting.