ST. PAUL – This morning, Minnesota DFL legislators held a press conference to unveil legislation to legalize sports betting in Minnesota. In 2018, the United States Supreme Court ended the federal ban on states legalizing sports betting. Since then, 30 states, including every state bordering Minnesota, have legalized the practice.
Rep. Zack Stephenson (DFL – Coon Rapids) is the author of the bill and released the following statement:
“Minnesotans have been waiting a long time for the opportunity to engage in fair sports betting,” said Rep. Stephenson. “House DFLers have continued to listen to and consult with the 11 sovereign tribal nations and other stakeholders over the last few years to ensure the best outcome for Minnesotans. Our bill is a step in the right direction to ensure consumer protection while engaging in sports betting. ”
“I want to thank Representative Stephenson for his work to bring stakeholders together on this issue,” said Senator Matt Klein (DFL-Mendota Heights) chief author of the bill in the Senate. “Minnesotans are demanding legalized sports wagering, and don’t understand why their wishes are being obstructed by government, creating inconveniences for individuals and fostering a black market for illicit activity. The fact you have the chairs of the Commerce Committees in both the House and Senate as authors on this bill is a signal of how seriously we take our responsibility to get this done this year.”
The Minnesota House Commerce Committee is scheduled to hear the bill on Wednesday, February 22.
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