Casino.org, January 29, 2021
Philip Conneller
Minnesota’s sports betting bill arrived at the legislature in Saint Paul Thursday, as had been widely anticipated. The bipartisan legislation would legalize sports books in the North Star State, initially in the land-based casinos and racetracks. Then it would eventually move online, but through those casinos only.
The bill was introduced by State Sen. Karla Bigham (D-Cottage Grove) and State Rep. Pat Garofalo (R-Farmington). They told local ABC affiliate WDIO Thursday that the bill would establish consumer protections and would be good for the regional economy.
“We have a lot of sporting events that are hosted here in Minnesota,” Bigham said. “The Super Bowl, the NFL draft maybe, the NCAA tournaments, different things like that. This would enhance the consumer experience in that and drive economic activity.”
Onerous Tax on Handle
The bill proposes a “six percent tax on wagers at a casino or racetrack,” and an “eight percent tax on wagers placed online.” This appears to propose taxing a sports book’s handle, rather than its gross gaming revenue, as is standard in the industry. READ MORE HERE
