STREET. ST. PAUL – Minnesota lawmakers are debating a bill that would bring online sports to the state.
The bill could introduce as many as 11 legal betting apps in the state by granting betting licenses to the state’s 11 tribes, which they could use to partner with sites like DraftKings or FanDuel.
It would also explain the legality of fantasy sports facilities in the state, which have lately been in a gray area.
“This activity is declining right now in Minnesota. We propose to regulate it, tax it, and make it transparent that it is legal. And we’re doing it with industry involvement. In fact, the explanation for why it’s on the bill is because other people who “do this came here and told us they’d like to be included on the bill,” said Rep. Zack Stephenson, the bill’s lead sponsor.
Some lawmakers in the assembly expressed fear that the bill, as drafted, could affect some tribes more than others.
“I mean, it seems like right now there’s a genuine providential prospect for some, and for others to be left out of the mix,” said Rep. Anne Neu Brindley.
Lately, some forms of sports are legal in 38 states and the District of Columbia.