Minnesota Residents Have A Sports Betting Option – Iowa Sportsbooks

• Sports betting in the state of Minnesota has yet to become a legalized pastime.
• Iowa recently made sports wagering legally, and Minnesota residents love the addition.
• Bills for legalization in Minnesota went to a standstill when the House was in session.

MINNEAPOLIS – With two separate bills making no real headway earlier this year, Minnesota is still no closer to legalizing sports betting in the state.

MN HF1278 and MN SF1894 were both bills that had a shot at progressing the state of Minnesota in the gambling world.

With neighboring Iowa recently making wagering on sporting events legal this past August, residents of Minnesota now have a very close option to place their bets. Diamond Jo Casino, located only 10 miles south of the Minnesota state line in Northwood, opened its doors in August. Anyone in the Land of 10,000 Lakes wanting to put money down on NFL games in a sportsbook lounge this season only need to take a short drive.

The official opening of the FanDuel Sportsbook at Diamond Jo Casino had John Randle, a famous former Minnesota Viking as a special guest. Randle placed the first bet at the sportsbook with a $93 wager on the Minnesota Twins. Since their first day, the casino has had a parking lot full of cars with Minnesota license plates. While Iowa is full of Minnesota Vikings fans, plenty of diehard Vikings fans from the state just north are now frequenting Iowa this NFL season to wager on their favorite team.

Garofalo worked on the MN HF1278 bill and the Safe and Regulated Sports Gambling Act of 2019. He has seen the amount of revenue that the legalization of sports betting could bring to the state which is why he would like the topic to be at the forefront headed into the next session.

“This is a big win for the hospitality and tourism industries of Iowa,” said Garafolo. “The lack of legislative action in Minnesota regarding a popular item like sports gambling makes zero sense. Iowa is smart to capitalize on the stupidity at Minnesota’s State Capitol.”

Legislators in Minnesota are aware of the close proximity of legal sports wagering to their state now. The CEO of Minnesota Family Council, John Helmberger made a public statement about it and it’s clear that he is not an advocate of the legalization of sports betting.

“Sports gambling is not victimless. Increased bankruptcy, job loss, divorce rates, financial stress, and major debts are just a fraction of the price families pay. Predatory practices employed by the gambling industry literally prevent Minnesota families from prospering. Like many Minnesotans, we oppose the expansion of gambling because it disproportionately affects families that are already struggling economically. The winners are unscrupulous big corporations, and the losers are ordinary Minnesota families.”

With no further movement to legalizing sports betting in Minnesota, it does not look as though it will be happening any time in the near future.

Until new bills are drawn up or the first two are tweaked to develop more traction, residents will have to turn to Iowa for all of their sports betting needs. For now, the Hawkeye State will reap the benefits of the extra revenue streams from neighboring states.

News tags: Diamond Jo Casino | FanDuel Sportsbook | Iowa | John Helmberger | John Randle | Minnesota | Minnesota Family Council | Minnesota Twins | Minnesota Vikings | NFL | Northwood | Pat Garofalo | Safe and Regulated Sports Gambling Act of 2019