Minnesota Indian Gaming Association executive director Andy Platto said the nine tribes in the association would continue to support the amended bill. Pat Garofalo, R-Farmington.Īt the committee hearing, representatives from the two racetracks spoke against the bill, as did Jake Grassel, executive director of Citizens Against Gambling Expansion. 'There's not going to be an agreement on this unless the tracks, the teams and the tribes are at the table and negotiate a compromise,' said Rep. Back then, the two lawmakers were optimistic, but Republicans didn't like the bill without money for tracks and the proposal languished. Zack Stephenson, DFL-Coon Rapids, introduced a bill in late February. The tribes already have exclusive rights to casino gambling. Klein's amendment would allow only the state's 11 tribes to obtain sports betting licenses. 'If people are motivated to get something done, they will,' he said.Īs he has before, the senator said Minnesotans want sports gambling and the Legislature's job is to provide guardrails to make it safer. Klein was resolutely upbeat despite the Legislature's impending adjournment May 22. After that initial infusion, the two tracks would split $3 million annually. Under his plan, sports gambling would be taxed at 10% with 30% of that going to an economic development fund for the tracks capped at $20 million. Klein called the amendment a 'best faith effort to accommodate horse tracks.' Matt Klein, DFL-Mendota Heights, offered an amendment to his legalization bill that would aid the state's two horse-racing tracks, which were left out of the initial bill. Odds improved ever so slightly Wednesday on Minnesota's prospects for joining neighboring states in legalizing sports gambling.

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