Minnesota provides several legal gambling activities, such as state lotteries, pari-mutuel betting on horse races, bingo, pull-tabs and casino gaming. All are overseen by the Gambling Control Board which licenses qualifying organizations – for any queries or concerns please reach out directly. Any illegal gambling activities may lead to criminal charges and fines of up to one year imprisonment and $3,000 as per state law – in addition to having their license suspended or revoked altogether.
Minnesota does not provide clear guidelines regarding online gambling; while the state may host some regulated casinos, these aren’t widely accessible and players often resort to unregulated offshore online gambling sites to find better deals on slots and table games. Players should remember that these sites do not fall under state regulation and could face legal implications should any problems arise from operating illegally in Minnesota.
There may not be a state-regulated online casino in Minnesota, but that doesn’t prevent people from gambling online. A number of reputable sites accept players from Minnesota and provide high-quality gaming experiences with bonuses galore; some even provide loyalty rewards programs which reward active gamers through cashback offers, free spins or other special promotions.
Minnesota does not permit online sports betting; however, lawmakers are discussing its possible introduction at casinos and racetracks throughout Minnesota. To achieve this outcome, tribal governments would need to renegotiate existing casino compacts if they wish for sports wagering as an additional form of online gambling to take place within their casinos.
Minnesota boasts not only state-regulated casinos but also several horse racetracks that provide gambling options, with Canterbury Park being one of the more well-known ones offering both horse racing and casino gambling through tables, machines and video poker ranging from video poker to roulette. Furthermore, Minnesota also features tribal casinos offering sports betting as well as other forms of gambling.
Since 1996, Minnesota lawmakers have tried numerous times to pass laws regulating sports betting. None have succeeded due to unique gaming laws and political power of Native American tribes who oppose any form of sports gambling in Minnesota.
The 2024 legislative session has just kicked off in Minnesota and there are a handful of bills that could lead to sports betting legalization. Rep. Garofalo’s bill attempts to secure tribal support by restricting sports betting to Minnesota’s three existing casinos while Sen. Chamberlain introduced another more comprehensive proposal allowing sports betting at two racetracks as well as existing casinos; however, tribal nations continue to oppose his proposal.
