Recent changes to sports betting-related legislation in the Minnesota Senate could prompt pushback from both opponents and supporters, especially after the removal of in-game wagering from the measure.Minnesota lawmakers continue to tinker with and advance legal sports betting legislation, but time is limited, and those tweaks may not be enough to win over doubters and may even prompt pushback from supporters.
Other changes to the bill look like they are trying to win over groups who may be concerned about legal sports betting in Minnesota. Another 15% of revenue raised would fund grants for Minnesota Sports and Events, 10% would go toward problem gambling programs, and 5% would be set aside for grants to the Minnesota State High School League. The remaining 45% would flow to the general fund.
“I will say the significant impact that prohibiting in-game wagering has had on revenues creates some difficulties for our stakeholders,” Klein said on Thursday. “And in particular, I think the license holders, the tribes, looking at how much revenue has been lost and how diminished the value of these licenses will be, will have some concerns about that provision going forward.”
There are also several religious recesses on the horizon. An Easter break will start on March 27 until noon on April 2, followed by an Eid recess from April 9 to April 11 and a Passover adjournment from April 22 to noon on April 24.