ST. PAUL, MN. – A study by researchers at the University of Oregon has demonstrated that legalized sports gambling is correlated to an increase in local domestic violence incidents.
In response to these findings, Senators John Marty (DFL-Roseville), Erin Maye Quade (DFL-Apple Valley)and Scott Dibble (DFL-Minneapolis) issued the following statement:
“As the Legislature has considered legalizing sports gambling in Minnesota, virtually all the discussion has been focused on the benefits to those who would profit from bookmaking. Unfortunately, there has been little to no discussion of the health impacts or the economic harm from that legalization. The addictive nature of online sports betting is already well-documented, with known links to financial hardship, mental health struggles and suicide. Now, this study on domestic violence and sports betting shows that after losses in certain sporting events, there is a 10 percent increase in intimate partner violence in states that legalized sports betting compared to those that have not. Legislative debate over sports betting must include a recognition that this legislation will make the horrific problem of family violence even more common. We call on our legislative colleagues to conduct thorough hearings on the harmful impacts of sports bookmaking, addressing both the financial costs and the human toll, including domestic violence. The stakes are too high to ignore these issues. We must prioritize the health and safety of Minnesotans over the profits of a predatory industry.”
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