Minnesota State Gambling Rules

• Minnesota Gambling Control Board Rules
• Minnesota Gambling Statutes
• Minnesota State Gambling Rules New York State
• Minnesota State Gambling

The organization's conduct of lawful gambling is or would be inconsistent with Minnesota Statutes, sections 349.11 to 349.23, as indicated by lack of financial responsibility, demonstrated lack of control of lawful gambling, or incomplete consent order or termination plan requirements; §. Minnesota Gambling Control Board. Main office: Suite 300 South. 1711 West County Road B. Roseville, MN 55113. Lawful Gambling Rules. Lawful Gambling Statutes. Information on the Conduct of Raffles. Minnesota Rules for prior years are also available. Authenticate Rule PDF. Search by Keyword. Gambling Control Board: 7860 to 7865 Health Department: 4600 to 4770. Minnesota State Retirement System: 7900 to 7905. Online gambling and poker are prohibited under Minnesota law and the legalization of those activities do not appear high on the state’s list of priorities. Lawmakers have declined to enact legislation to legalize online gambling and there are no indications they are planning to introduction such legislation anytime soon. You may deduct gambling losses on your Minnesota income tax return if you choose to claim Minnesota itemized deductions. You cannot deduct more in gambling losses than you report in gambling winnings on your federal income tax return. Also, you must be able to prove the amount of your losses with the records noted above.

Minnesota is not a state that is heavily opposed to online gambling, and you will find that the law is generally on your side. With live casinos, card rooms, and even racetracks, you will find that the gambling scene in Minnesota is very active. We have explored the legalities of online gambling in Minnesota in order to determine whether or not players can participate, and we are pleased to tell you that it is free and legal to do so provided you use an offshore gambling house or bookmaker. If you follow our advice, you shouldn't have any issues or problems at all with gambling on the Internet.

Online Gambling Age For Minnesota Residents

Part of the laws of gambling are age restrictions, and we have explored the age requirements in addition to the other requirements in place. In the state of Minnesota, you can start gambling as soon as you hit the age of 18, whether you wish to play the lottery, the horses, bingo, or gamble in the state’s many tribal casinos. Incidentally, you only have to be 18 in order to sign up at all the offshore sportsbooks and casino sites that serve MN residents, as well.

However, please remember that while it isn’t illegal to sign up at these sites under the age of 18, doing so will violate the terms of service and cause your account to be permanently banned and your financial balance to be forfeited. Do not, under any circumstances, sign up underage at any online gambling site.

Minnesota Online Gambling Laws

In the state of Minnesota, you will not have to contend with too many over-written gambling laws. The state of Minnesota has not yet written anything specific pertaining to online or Internet gambling, and their gambling laws don’t even include either of those words. Sports betting on the Internet is similarly undefined. As such, you will not have to contend with anything more than other than where you wish to play.

We have found the state statutes in Minnesota to be fair toward online gambling, and you can read the laws yourself to verify our position on the matter. Section 349.11 et seq. and 609.75 et seq. are the operative portions of the Minnesota Statutes for your consideration.

No MN resident has ever been arrested or even fined or cited for using the Internet to place wagers on sports, play poker, or enjoy digital casino classics and slots. This is a safe, legal activity, and all the top sites allow residents from Minnesota to play these real-money games at their leisure.

Gambling Sites That Accept Minnesota Residents

Minnesota residents have access to hundreds of gambling sites, and these cover a fairly wide range of options. However, most of these sites are untested and unestablished in the gaming community, and some are outright scams. That said, there are several high-value, legitimate offshore gambling websites out there, and we have found that MN gamblers can very easily build up a substantial bankroll through any of these gambling sites.

What’s more, we have tested each of our top choices personally in order to give our readers advice on only the best services available, which is why the list has dwindled down to only a handful of sites under each kind of gambling.

Bovada: Live In-Game Betting On Mobile Devices

Many players ask us whether or not Bovada is legal in Minnesota, and we pleased to tell you that it absolutely is. In fact, MN residents are able to join up with Bovada very easily in just a matter of minutes. It is, by most user accounts, the single best sportsbook and gambling service available in the Gopher State.

If you sign up with Bovada, deposits can be made in a number of ways. The most popular way is to simply use a Visa, Mastercard, or American Express credit or debit card. However, users can also use international pre-paid cards as well. Bovada supports Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash, as well, and these have become extremely popular in the last couple of years, as they bypass all the standard avenues of banking, meaning you can typically get better rates and lower fees. Regardless of how you fund your Bovada account, each of these methods makes it simple to play, and Bovada even offers a generous $250 welcome bonus for new Minnesota customers to play with.

For casino players, poker players, and horseplayers, Bovada has you covered there as well. That's right, Bovada’s not just for sports betting – all major forms of gambling can be enjoyed through one account with Bovada. This makes them one of the best choices for gambling over the Internet, as you do not have to bounce between multiple sites to access all your favorite pastimes. Go To Bovada!

50% - $250 BONUS!

No DE, MD, NJ, NY, NV

BetOnline: The Best Place To Bet On The Golden Gophers

Minnesota residents were given a poll recently on which betting site they liked the most, and the results weren’t particularly surprising: BetOnline was voted as having the best overall Internet gambling value in the state. And why not? After all, BetOnline is a trusted and completely legal betting site that has been serving Minnesota gamblers for over 20 years. Membership to BetOnline is free, and you only have to be 18 to sign up and play.

BetOnline has a stellar, industry-leading sportsbook, and they’ve also got all the newest and most popular mini-games, slots, table games, and poker types available anywhere. Even better, BetOnline gives its members special promotions for each type of gambling they prefer, as well as welcome bonuses that can add big bucks to your initial bankroll. While there are many such bonuses, the most popular one is for the sportsbook. This special promotion is a 50% welcome bonus and can add up to $1000 to your account the moment you make your first deposit!

Loyal and seasoned members can qualify for the 25% reload “Bonus for Life” program, which is also good for up to $1000 of extra funds for your bankroll. To claim any of BetOnline’s outstanding promotions, simply enter the promo code that is located on the BetOnline bonuses page. Check this page often, as the codes – and options – change periodically. Happy betting, you high roller! Go To BetOnline!

50% - $1,000

ALL STATES

Online Casinos That Accept Minnesota Residents

Minnesota residents who do not wish to play in a live casino can jump into the games directly on their computers via the Internet. There are plenty of game options, too, including every single game you’d find in a land-based Vegas-style casino. If you decide to play with these offshore, online casinos, you will find that they offer their users plenty of options for gaming.

We have found that these casinos make some players wary due to the fact that they are all computer-based and operate outside of Minnesota’s regulatory framework, but we can tell you that they all offer high and legitimate payouts, and they are 100% legal and dedicated to fair gaming and customer service above all else. Sites like Café Casino, Ignition Casino, Slots.lv, Lucky Red, BuzzLuck, Manhattan Slots, Old Havana, Aladdin’s Gold, and a select few others are the best choices for casino gaming fans in Minnesota.

Online Sports Betting Sites That Accept Minnesota Residents

We have tested quite a few different sportsbooks, and we have narrowed the list down substantially to show you only the best that we have ever encountered. In the end, we are sure that you will not have to deal with anything outside of an enjoyable gambling experience if you stick to our recommendations here. Those who do not have any experience with sports betting will especially like our favorite sportsbooks, because not only do they have the most varied betting boards, they also offer valuable primers to their first-time members.

The best sportsbooks in the business, without a doubt, are Bovada, SportsBetting, BetOnline, 5Dimes, BetDSI, and BookMaker. Through these offshore websites, you will always enjoy a first-rate gambling experience. These sites have over 100 years of combined experience serving MN residents, and they each offer cutting-edge technology, data security, and guaranteed payouts. Accept no substitutes!

Online Poker Sites That Accept Minnesota Residents

Poker players can turn to the Internet to participate in the best poker rooms and tournaments by following our advice. For the most part, the sportsbook sites listed above (Bovada et al.) offer live-dealer games where you can play against others in real-time, while the more casino-centric sites (Slots.lv, etc.) offer themed video poker options for more casual poker players.

Online Bingo Sites That Accept Minnesota Players

Bingo players can also participate in some of the finest gambling options, as bingo sites are available online. And thanks to the simplicity of the game, bingo is a great way for new gamblers to learn the ropes of account management and bonus selection.

Of the all-in-one gambling sites, 5Dimes has the best dedicated bingo section, but Downtown Bingo is the top choice for hardcore bingo players and offers the most comprehensive selections of games and bonuses on the Internet.

Is Online Gambling Legal In Minnesota?

Minnesota residents will find that there are very few indications that online gambling is illegal in their state. Minnesota's legislature has yet to actually write a specific ban on online gambling, which generally means that online gambling is legal. We have found no evidence that the offshore gaming options on the Internet are illegal for MN residents, but we do not recommend you do anything you are not comfortable with. In the end, you may want to contact a lawyer for reassurance, as they are the only ones who can actually tell you whether or not you can legally gamble on the Internet in Minnesota.

For a large part of the state’s history, Minnesota online gambling laws have really not existed because nowhere in their statutes does it mention the online aspect of gaming. While this is still the case today, it’s clear that Minnesota’s lawmakers have historically been opposed to the legalization of online gambling. In 2009, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division repeatedly requested that Internet service providers block some 200 online gambling sites. But they received vigorous backlash from the public and ultimately withdrew those requests. Since then, there have been no new laws in the state that attempt to control online gambling in Minnesota. This is in large part because most states rely on federal laws to cover those bases.

These federal laws include the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA, 1992), the Interstate Wire Act (1961), and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA, 2006). However, PASPA was the most egregious and limiting of these, and it no longer exists, having been overturned by the US Supreme Court in 2018. As a result, MN is free to institute its own sports betting laws, and – provided that goes well – it is easy to see that such newfound enterprise and freedom would be applied to all forms of online gambling throughout the state.

The Wire Act is still in effect, but it does not include Internet gambling in its scope (having been restricted solely sports betting operators), so that law is irrelevant to online gamers. The UIGEA is also still in effect, but it doesn’t do much to deter individual players, either, instead going after US-based financial institutions that knowingly process gambling payments. Needless to say, despite the silly rigmarole of all these laws, nobody has ever been arrested for using legal offshore gambling sites in Minnesota.

Is It Safe For Players To Gamble Online In Minnesota?

Without anything specifically keeping Minnesota residents from using online gambling sites, there is no need to have concern of whether it is safe or not to gamble online in Minnesota. Without laws explicitly criminalizing the activity, there couldn't possibly be any enforcement over “illegal” online gambling, and therefore it is safe for all Minnesota residents.

While it is safe to participate in online gambling by playing at offshore casinos and sportsbooks, running an online gambling site is a whole different story. Operating a gambling site for profit from inside the state of Minnesota opens a host of legal issues that the state will relentlessly pursue, so it isn’t worth the risk. You should never run a gambling enterprise without all the appropriate state licenses to do so.

Are Online Casinos Legal In Minnesota?

Since online gambling has not specifically been made illegal, you do not actually have to worry about much other than which casino to choose. The statutes are chalk full of words such as 'cards and dice' and other clauses that generally cover casino gaming, but the truth of the matter is that you should never have to be worried about complications arising from potentially criminal problems, as online gambling isn’t part of the Minnesota law books.

Is Online Sports Betting Legal In Minnesota?

If you want to bet on sports, it is impossible to do so legally in Minnesota without turning to the Internet. This is why it is of key importance that you understand the legal status of online sports gambling in the state. Fortunately, if you use the sites we recommend, you will not be breaking any laws betting on sports in MN.

In the future, thanks to PASPA’s overturning, local sportsbooks may offer brick-and-mortar or online sports betting options to MN residents. However, the legislature has made no moves on this to date, and it might be another few years before this industry really takes off in the state.

Is Online Poker Legal In Minnesota?

Minnesota residents are able to build up a bankroll through the poker grind by turning to the digital felts. If you decide you want to participate in the games, you will not face any legal problems simply for anteing up at the tables online. We have found that, despite the laws related to gambling in the state, there is nothing specifically related to online poker in MN.

Online Horse Racing Betting Sites That Accept Minnesota Residents

There are several online horse racing betting sites that accept Minnesota residents, and as long as you are using a racebook on one of the sites we have reviewed on this page, you are sure to have an incredibly enjoyable experience betting on the ponies. The best sportsbooks all have robust racebooks, and they each offer bonuses, rebates, and mobile betting as well. If you are interested in betting on horses, then legal online racebooks are absolutely the way to go.

Can I Bet On Horse Racing In Minnesota?

Minnesota state horse racing laws are covered in Chapter 7869 of the Minnesota state statutes. This section states that pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing is legal in Minnesota, and there are several different tracks at which you may place bets. That being said, these tracks restrict you quite a bit because there are only active for a few weeks each year.

Online gambling sites are way to go for substantially increased horse betting opportunities, and they are 100% legal as long as they are licensed and regulated from outside of the United States. The sites we review on this page all have excellent racebooks that accept Minnesota residents.

Deposit Options For Minnesota Residents

The deposit options for Minnesota residents are dependent on the online site you are frequenting. The top options for most sites in terms of depositing are credit and debit card transactions, but Bitcoin has been making an argument for itself over the last several years, and a huge segment of the industry is listening. Some sites also offer wire transfers and money orders as well, but money sent via these routes typically take much longer to process and show up in your account.

Mobile Gambling Apps In Minnesota

One of the most unique and groundbreaking aspects of the best online gambling sites in Minnesota is the mobile options they now possess. Mobile gambling options in Minnesota allow players to place wagers from the palm of their hands, as everyone can access mobile versions of their top sites from their smartphones or tablets. The convenience of online wagering is already an incredible selling point in and of itself, and mobile betting just makes it that much more compelling. Best of all, these mobile sites are cross-platform, so they work seamlessly on iPhone, iPad, Android devices, Windows Mobile devices, Amazon Fires, and more. If you have an Internet connection and a modern browser, you can gamble online from any of the 10,000 Minnesota shorelines you’re exploring.

Legal Minnesota Gambling FAQs

Is Shopping Lines Really Worth It?

Shopping lines is very important when betting in Minnesota (or anywhere else, for that matter). Regardless of what you are betting on, you want to make sure you are getting the best odds for your money. If know you want to bet on a specific game or outcome and you just bet on the first site you see, then you could be missing out on more favorable odds that could win you more money. Never turn down an opportunity to get the most out of the money you are wagering with. For this reason, you should always consider joining multiple offshore sports betting sites.

How Long Is A Furlong?

One furlong is the equivalent to 220 yards, or 1/8 of a mile, on a racetrack. Typically, you will see major horse racing tracks vary from 9 to 12 furlongs, though younger horses might earn their stripes on shorter races in the 6-furlong range.

How Many Furlongs Is Churchill Downs?

The Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs is 1.25 miles long, which equate to 10 furlongs (or 2,012 meters). It is the second longest track in the Triple Crown series, as it is a half-furlong longer than the Preakness but shorter than the 12-furlong Belmont Stakes.

Can I Bet On Sports and Casino Games On The Same Site?

Minnesota Gambling Control Board Rules

Yes, this is one of the best things about online gambling sites. The top offshore options provide sportsbooks, casinos, poker rooms, and racebooks so that you can sign in once and control all of your various bets from the same easy-to-use account dashboard.

Will I go to jail for online gambling in Minnesota?

Hundreds of thousands of online gamblers come from Minnesota, and we have never once heard of one of these players being arrested for gambling online. This puts you in a solid position, as you do not have to worry about anything other than playing you favorite games and wagering on your favorite players and teams. Arrest is simply not a realistic risk. You can easily play all the games the top sites have to offer without having to worry about these legal problems. Plus, Vikings don’t ask for permission!

Minnesota doesn’t have a single commercial casino, but they’re still one of
the most liberal states in regards to gambling.

They have tribal casinos, widespread charity gambling, legal social gambling,
lottery games, poker rooms, racing venues and bar-based video terminals.

Obviously the Land of 10,000 Lakes has plentiful gambling opportunities, but
what’s their stance on Internet gaming?

This is one of the main things that we’ll cover in the next section.

Online Gambling and Minnesota Law

Like many states, Minnesota hasn’t addressed online gambling in their
criminal code.

In the absence of this language, numerous off-shore gaming sites continue
operating in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

You won’t have any trouble finding an online casino, poker site or
sportsbook in this state, but does that mean you’re in the clear to play?

Let’s find out by looking at Minnesota’s gambling laws as well as the legal
precedent they’ve set on iGaming matters.

Is Online Gambling Legal in Minnesota?

The Gopher State doesn’t specifically address Internet gambling, but like
many states, they have vague language that could deem iGaming illegal.

Minnesota’s constitution defines a bet in Section 609.75 (Subd. 2) as
follows:

“A bet is a bargain whereby the parties mutually agree to a gain or loss by
one to the other of specified money, property or benefit dependent upon chance
although the chance is accompanied by some element of skill.”

This is a broad definition that can include any form of unlicensed gaming. We
assume this means that any bet offered or placed over the Internet is also
illegal.

On the other hand, we’ve seen states with far stronger language against
online gambling. Louisiana, Oklahoma and Washington explicitly ban Internet
gaming.

That said, we don’t view Minnesota as being overly concerned with online
gaming – especially when their criminal code doesn’t mention it.

Can I Get Arrested for Gambling Online in Minnesota?

We’ll preface this by saying that nobody has been arrested for online
gambling in Minnesota. This doesn’t mean that it’s totally impossible either.

Section 609.75 (Subd. 2) defines an illegal gambling device as follows:

“… is a contrivance which for a consideration affords the player an
opportunity to obtain something of value, other than free plays, automatically
from the machine or otherwise, the award of which is determined principally by
chance.”

Again, this is broad language that could include any number of devices,
including smartphones, tablets or computers.

If Minnesota Police caught somebody gambling on a smartphone and wanted to
make case of it, they could use Section 609.75 (Subd. 2). But would they go this
far?

The odds are highly unlikely that Minnesota would ever take such drastic
action. Furthermore, the lack of precedence in prosecuting online gamblers makes
us think they won’t start at any point in the future.

Still, be aware of the laws if you’re going to gamble online within state
borders.

Will Minnesota Legalize Online Gambling?

Minnesota is one of the least-active states when it comes to seeking Internet
gambling legislation. This doesn’t appear likely to change any time soon for
three reasons:

• We haven’t seen one piece of pro-online gambling legislation discussed
  in Minnesota.
• With the exception of Iowa, Minnesota doesn’t have any neighbors that
  are serious about regulating the activity.
• They don’t have any commercial casinos to push the matter.

Beginning with the first point, Minnesota hasn’t seriously discussed legal
online casino games and poker. We assume that they will at some point, but that
could be years away.

Unlike states such as Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania, they don’t
have neighboring states acting as iGaming influencers.

Minnesota also doesn’t have commercial casinos or racinos that’ll lobby for
online gaming. This has been key towards legalization efforts in Delaware,
Nevada and New Jersey.

It’s possible that the tribal casinos could lobby politicians to legalize
iGaming, but there’s been no news on this front either.

Odds are that Minnesota – like most states – will regulate Internet gambling
someday. However, they won’t be doing it any time soon.

Are Offshore Gaming Sites Safe?

With no legal Internet casinos or poker rooms, your only option for gambling
online in Minnesota is off-shore sites. Which brings us to the question of
whether or not these off-shore companies are safe.

The answer varies as you move from site to site.

The key to understand this is that off-shore gaming companies aren’t licensed
by the government. Instead, they’re licensed in the country or territory where
they’re located.

Common jurisdictions that serve Minnesota include:

• Antigua & Barbuda
• Costa Rica
• Curacao
• Kahnawake Gaming Commission
• Panama

Safe and unsafe off-shore operators can exist within any of these
jurisdictions. That’s why it’s so important do to your own research before
depositing anywhere (discussed next).

But the actual licensing jurisdiction can also have an impact on the site’s
reputation. Here are a couple of examples:

• Costa Rica

Costa Rica is one of the least-reputable licensing
jurisdictions around the world. In fact, iGaming operators need only meet
general business licensing requirements to operate here.

• Kahnawake Gaming Commission

Based in Mohawk territory in Montreal,
Quebec, the KGC has fairly strict licensing requirements and provides
oversight when necessary.

Again, these sites aren’t licensed anywhere in the U.S., so you can never
have 100% confidence. But choosing reputable sites in respected jurisdictions is
a good way to find quality offshore gaming.

How do I Choose an Online Gaming Site?

Here are steps you should take when looking for the best online casinos,
poker rooms and/or sportsbooks:

• Read Reviews

This point is obvious, but worth stressing. Look for
non-biased reviews to learn about all the important aspects regarding any
iGaming site.

• Customer Complaints

Google to find potential customer complaints on a
gaming site. You want to avoid any company that processes cash-outs slowly
and/or has poor customer service.

• Game Variety

This may be covered in the reviews that you’re reading,
but you should still check out the games/sports lines section for yourself
to see if the variety meets your needs.

• Bonus Terms & Conditions

Visit the site and look at their bonus terms.
After all, you don’t want to be stuck wagering ridiculous amounts of money
just to cash out your welcome/deposit bonus.

• Deposit Options

Some offshore sites may not have banking methods that
you can/want to use. This is why it’s important to check out the banking
section beforehand.

• Longevity

How long has a gaming site been around? The longer they’ve
been open, the better because it indicates that the site has done well
enough to stick around.

More Gambling Laws in Minnesota

• Casino Games: Legal
• Sports Betting: Illegal
• Poker: Legal
• Racing Betting: Legal
• Lottery: Legal
• Bingo: Legal
• Charitable Gaming: Legal
• Social Gambling: Legal

Casinos & Bars: Legal

Minnesota may not have commercial casinos, but they do have tribal casinos
thanks to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988.

They feature 19 tribal gambling establishments, with most being located in
the northern part of the state.

The state’s largest casino is Mystic Lake, which has over 4,000 slot machines
and 100 table games. Treasure Island Resort & Casino is also sizeable, spanning
116,000 square feet and housing 2,400 gaming machines.

One problem for the state is that they don’t earn tax revenue off the
casinos. But Gov. Mark Dayton attempted to change this in 2011 while looking for
creative ways to cover U.S. Bank Stadium’s $975 million cost.

The White Earth Nation offered to pay for half the 66,665-seat stadium if
they could build a casino in downtown Minneapolis. From here, White Earth Nation
would’ve continued to pay the state 50% of their profits.

Many local tribes fought against the matter because they didn’t want to set
the precedent of sharing casino revenue with Minnesota.

Dayton and other politicians eventually abandoned the bill, opting instead to
legalize electronic pull-tab machines at bars. For this reason, you’ll see
numerous pull-tab games at bars across the state.

Charity Gambling: Legal

The Minnesota criminal code exempts charity gaming from illegal gambling.
Section 609.75 (Subd. 3-5) explains this as follows:

“A private social bet not part of or incidental to organized, commercialized,
or systematic gambling.”

Section 609.761 explains that approved charities can offer a number of card
games, including bridge, cribbage, euchre, gin, pinochle, Texas hold’em and
whist.

Stipulations behind Minnesota charity gaming include the following:

• Individual player winnings can’t exceed $200 per event.
• Social dice games can be held in adjoining rooms of a
  liquor-serving establishment.
• The charitable group/building owner must donate the proceeds.

Minnesota doesn’t get any tax revenue from their casinos, but they at least
earn a significant amount from charity operations. In 2016, the Gopher State
earned over $285 in tax revenue from charity gaming.

This is why they allow charity operators to offer a large variety of games
like bingo, lotteries, pull-tabs, raffles and Vegas-style gaming.

Keep in mind that Vegas-style gaming doesn’t mean charities can hold casino
nights or functions where people play casino games like baccarat, blackjack,
craps and roulette.

The state Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement division noted this by stating, “State
Attorney General’s Office concludes that most casino night activities are
generally considered illegal gambling.”

Instead, people can participate in skill-based tournaments for darts, poker
and pool tournaments.

Lottery: Legal

The Minnesota Lottery offers a large range of games, including All or
Nothing, Daily 3, Gopher 5, Hot Lotto, Lucky for Life, Mega Millions, Powerball,
Raffle and Print-N-Play. These games combine to earn over $500 million for the
state annually.

Poker: Legal

The Land of 10,000 Lakes has poker rooms at tribal casinos and both
racetracks, including Running Aces and Canterbury Park. Charity organizations
are also allowed to offer poker tournaments, provided they meet the stipulations
covered above.

Racing: Legal

The Minnesota Racing Commission oversees the state’s quarter and thoroughbred
racing industry. Minnesota has two active tracks in the Columbus-based Running
Aces and Shakopee-based Canterbury Park.

Social Gambling: Legal

Minnesota specifically exempts social gambling from illegal gaming. This
means that players can hold poker tournaments and other social gaming functions
as long as the host isn’t profiting in any way.

The latter means no taking rake from poker games, or selling food or alcohol
at a social function. Just like with charity gambling, Minnesota also applies a
prize cap of $200 per day to private gambling.

We’re unclear if bars can hold free poker tournaments. After all, they’d
technically be profiting off the increased customers who come to play.

Bars can allow social dice games as long as they don’t organize the game or
stipulate that players buy drinks/food from them. Also, players aren’t allowed
to bet cash, but rather food and drinks.

Accepted bar-based dice games include:

• 3 – 2 – 1
• 6 – 5 – 4
• Aces
• Last Chance
• Liar’s Poker
• Shake-a-Day
• Who Buys

Gambling Venues in Minnesota

Minnesota may not have giant commercial casinos like other states, but they
do offer more than enough tribal casinos spread throughout the state.

This gives Minnesota residents and visitors access to a total of more than
21,000 gaming machines and almost 300 table games. You can make bets for as
little as one cent (slots) and as much as $1,000.

As mentioned earlier, Mystic Lake Casino (Prior Lake) and Treasure Island
Resort (Welch) are the state’s two largest casinos. They both offer thousands of
gaming machines, large hotels, and multiple amenities.

Based in Morton, Jackpot Junction is also a big casino with more than 1,600
gaming machines and 30 table games. Below you can find more info on these
casinos, as well as a few others in Minnesota.

1) Black Bear Casino Resort

1785 Minnesota 210, Cromwell, MN 55726

2) Canterbury Park and Card Casino

1100 Canterbury Rd S, Shakopee, MN 55379

3) Grand Casino Hinckley

777 Lady Luck Dr, Hinckley, MN 55037

4) Jackpot Junction Casino

39375 County Rd 24, Morton, MN 56270

5) Mystic Lake Casino Hotel

2400 Mystic Lake Blvd NW, Prior Lake, MN 55372

6) Northern Lights Casino – Leech Lake

6800 Y Frontage Rd NW, Walker, MN 56484

7) Palace Lake Casino & Hotel

16599 69th Ave NW, Cass Lake, MN 56633

8) Running Aces Casino & Racetrack

15201 Zurich St, Columbus, MN 55025

9) Seven Clans Red Lake Casino

10200 MN-89, Puposky, MN 56667

10) Shooting Star Casino Bagley

340th Street, Bagley, MN 56621

11) Treasure Island Casino

5734 Sturgeon Lake Rd, Welch, MN 55089

History of Gambling in Minnesota

Minnesota’s legal gambling history begins in the mid-1800s, when they banned
lotteries. The government didn’t approve any form of gambling until 1945, when
they legalized charity bingo.

This opened them up to what has today becoming a very successful charity
gaming industry.

Other notable landmarks include voters legalizing pari-mutuel betting in 1982
and voters approving a lottery in 1988.

Minnesota Gambling Statutes

Below you can take a closer look at some legal gaming milestones in
Minnesota:

Exemption added to state constitution for social gambling.

Minnesota legalizes paddlewheels, raffles, and tip boards for charity groups.

State Legislature approves pull-tabs for charity purposes.

Voters pass pari-mutuel betting through referendum.

Minnesota signs pact with 7 Native-American tribes for video gambling.

State bans video gambling machines outside of tribal reservations.

Minnesota signs compact with tribes to allow blackjack and other table games.

Voter referendum rejects off-tracking wagering.

Voters approve poker tournaments at bars and restaurants.

Minnesota State Gambling Rules New York State

Legislation passed to ban sale of online scratch tickets.

State Senate defeats daily fantasy sports bill.

Minnesota Gambling FAQs

Many players have questions about Minnesota’s online gaming market because
it’s a grey area.

We’ve covered some of these questions in the online gambling section, but
here are a few more common inquiries regarding Minnesota iGaming.

Are Daily Fantasy Sports Legal in Minnesota?

The Gopher State hasn’t done anything to block daily fantasy sports (DFS). In
fact, they’ve introduced legislative efforts to approve the activity.

The bills that have been introduced so far aren’t seeking a regulated market,
but rather clarification that DFS is a legal skill game.

The first bill died in the Senate Taxes Committee because it didn’t have
enough safeguards to prevent underage players.

State Rep. Tony Albright introduced another piece of legislation in 2017 that
included stronger safeguards. This legislation is still being reviewed at the
time of this writing.

In the meantime, DFS sites continue operating in Minnesota because there’s no
law that prevents them from doing so.

Has Minnesota Taken Legal Action against Online Gaming Sites?

No. Minnesota hasn’t taken any direct action against offshore casinos, poker
rooms, or sports betting sites.

But in 2009, the state Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division sent letters
to 11 ISPs attempting to block 200 offshore gaming sites. They eventually
dropped the request after the Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming
Association iMEGA) launched a lawsuit.

With no legal action against offshore companies, these sites continue serving
Minnesota players. Their iGaming market will likely remain in a grey area until
either legislation or legal action happens.

Why did Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Try to Block Gaming Sites?

According to the MinnPost, the Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division argued that all
Internet gambling is illegal. They made no distinction between games of skill
(poker) and chance when trying to block the sites.

They also cited the Wire Act of 1961, which allegedly bans interstate
gambling, but this was before 2011, when the U.S. Department of Justice ruled
that the Wire Act only applies to sports betting.

After Alcohol and Gambling withdraw their request, they indicated a desire to
continue trying to block gaming sites from Minnesotans. But no serious efforts
have arisen since 2009.

What’s Keeping Minnesota from Legalizing Online Gaming?

Minnesota doesn’t fall into this select group, meaning they won’t be among
the first states with regulated online gaming.

The problem is that most states just don’t see Internet gambling as a
priority right now.

This is especially the case for Minnesota, which doesn’t receive direct tax
revenue from its tribal casinos.

Plus, legalizing iGaming opens up more issues.

Regulated states have required that online gaming sites partner with
land-based casinos. Given that Minnesota wouldn’t see any/much revenue under
this model, they’re not overly concerned about the activity.

Additional Resources

Minnesota features three important gaming regulatory bodies, including the
Gambling Control Board, Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement and the Lottery
commission. Here’s a closer look at each organization.

The Gambling Control Board regulated the charity gambling industry and
ensures that all approved establishments are following the laws.

The Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement department monitors the state’s tribal
casinos, ensures fair gaming and takes larger actions if necessary. Regarding
the latter, this division once tried to block 200 offshore gaming sites under
grounds that they’re illegal.

The Minnesota Lottery runs 10 different games, and works to ensure that all
winners are properly compensated.

The Future & Your Views

Minnesota is yet another state that stands in middle ground with regard to
online gaming.

They haven’t made any serious efforts to legalize the activity, and no bills
are on the horizon either.

If the Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement division had their way, Minnesota
would’ve blocked 200 gaming sites. This would’ve put them in line with Kentucky
and Maryland as one of the few states to take legal action in the iGaming
sector.

But it didn’t happen, and Minnesotans are still free to play at offshore
casino, poker and sports betting sites.

We don’t see the status quo changing any time soon. This is especially the
case with the 2011 U.S. Department of Justice opinion on the Wire Act.

Minnesota State Gambling

The one area where Minnesota is making iGaming inlets is daily fantasy
sports. People can already play at DFS sites, and the state is discussing
legislation to ensure it’s completely legal.

Perhaps if the Gopher State goes through with this, they’ll begin warming up
to regulated online gambling.