Minnesota Senate Committee Hearing Sparks Debate on Sports Betting Safety Measures Amid Legislative Uncertainty
The Senate Finance Committee, chaired by long-time gambling opponent Senator Marty, held a hearing on Jan. 8th to discuss the “social harms resulting from online sports betting.”
The hearing was very-one sided, with only people testifying about the potential harms of online sports betting. No proponents of sports betting testified.
Senator Frentz, who supports sports betting, said during the hearing that the state should be finding ways to protect problem gamblers if online sports betting becomes legal. He also pointed out that most people in Minnesota want online sports betting.
Looking ahead, the Minnesota legislature is in an unusual position. Due to the death of a Senator and the disqualification of a House lawmaker, the balance of power in both chambers is uncertain until special elections later this month. Democrats are favored in both races, and we expect substantive discussions around sports betting to be delayed until much later in the session, which ends in May.