Overview of the Minnesota Gambling Laws in 2024

The gambling laws in America could widely vary depending on the state. Some states, such as Texas and Alaska, are more restrictive, while others, like Nevada, for example, are more open. In all cases, however, gambling is regulated by a combination of state and federal laws.

In this article, we are going to explore and discuss the Minnesota gambling laws. Read below to learn more about the history of gambling in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. We will review the state’s legal and illegal gambling activities, regulations on online gambling, charitable gambling, and more.

Gambling Laws in Minnesota – History and Legal Status

We will start with a brief overview of Minnesota gambling laws. Back in 1857, the state of Minnesota prohibited all forms of gambling, including lotteries. For a long time, there were no changes whatsoever. That was until 1945 when charity bingo was legalized. A couple of years later, in 1947, slot machines were made illegal under the Minnesota state gambling laws. The next significant change came in 1963, when social gambling was allowed.

Charity gambling on paddlewheels, raffles, and tip boards, and charity pull-tabs were legalized in 1978 and 1981, respectively. Shortly after that, in 1982, pari-mutuel betting was legalized in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. In the following years, the Minnesota state lottery was legalized, and the state signed multiple pacts allowing for tribal casinos to operate on Native American land. Most recently, in 2012, electronic pull-tabs became legal under MN gambling laws. Gambling activities in Minnesota are controlled by the Minnesota Gambling Control Board.

Charitable Gambling Activities in Minnesota

According to the gambling laws in Minnesota, charity gambling is legal on the territory of the state. That applies to bingo, raffles, paddlewheels, tip boards, and pull-tabs. Only charitable, religious, veteran, and other nonprofit organizations registered with the Secretary of State or IRS can conduct charitable gambling activities. They should apply for a license by the Minnesota Gambling Control Board.

All charity gambling activities should be supervised by a gambling manager. Players should be 18 years and older to participate and cannot use checks or play on credit. In addition, according to the Minnesota state gambling laws, there are certain prize limitations that organizations should uphold.

Under certain conditions, organizations could also be exempt from having to obtain a license. That applies if gambling is conducted for five or fewer days a year with a maximum prize amount of no more than $50,000, bingo conducted at fairs for up to 12 days, and bingo conducted up to four times a year. In addition, no license is required for raffles with a prize of no more than $1500.

Minnesota State Lottery

The Minnesota State Lottery was legalized in 1988 following a successful voter referendum (59% approval rate). The ticket sales began on 17th April 1990. The Minnesota Lottery is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association. As of the time of writing this article, the Minnesota State Lottery offers the following games:

Players should be 18 years of age or older to buy lottery tickets and redeem any prizes. The same applies to participating in any Minnesota State Lottery giveaways, contests, and sweepstakes. The lottery winners are announced at the designated “Winners” page on the website. Tickets are being sold by authorized lottery retailers only. About 40% of the Minnesota Lottery proceeds go towards preserving the Minnesota environment and funding state programs, including education, public safety and health, and human services.

Social Gambling in the State of Minnesota

The gambling laws in Minnesota allow social gambling. As per the state’s statutes, “a private social bet not part of or incidental to organized, commercialized, or systematic gambling;” is not considered a bet. Again, there are a few rules to follow. At a social gambling event, no player’s winning should exceed $200. The host must make no profit out of the event or charge any fees.

Sports Betting Under Minnesota Gambling Laws

Both offline and online sports wagering is illegal. Horse race betting is the only legal form of sports betting in the state of Minnesota. It is overseen and controlled by the Minnesota Racing Commission which was created in 1983. Horse betting is only legal at licensed and authorized racetracks.

In Minnesota, there are currently two licensed horse racetracks – Canterbury Park and Running Aces Casino, Hotel & Racetrack. Daily fantasy sports betting is not regulated under the Minnesota gambling laws, so sites such as FanDuel, DraftKings, etc., operate in an unregulated environment.

Land-Based Casinos in Minnesota

There are no commercial casinos in Minnesota. However, residents and visitors of the state can enjoy an excellent gambling experience at the multiple Native American casinos available on tribal territories. They operate under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988. IGRA established the National Indian Gaming Commission and the regulatory structure for Indian gaming in the United States. There are 20+ tribal casinos in Minnesota, including:

These are merely some of the available casinos in Minnesota. All of them give gambling enthusiasts the chance to enjoy multiple games, including slots, bingo, blackjack, video poker, Ultimate Texas Hold’Em, Three Card Poker, and more. Many of the Minnesota operators could easily compete against the best Native American casinos in the USA.

Minnesota Online Gambling Laws in 2024

The Minnesota online gambling laws are quite prohibitive. Unfortunately, Minnesota residents would not be able to enjoy the best online casinos in the USA since internet gambling in any form or sense is illegal in the state. The only available options for gamblers are the so-called sweepstakes and social casinos. The most popular ones available for MN players include Funzpoints, LuckyLand Slots, and Chumba Casino.

Sweepstakes casinos operate under the US sweepstakes laws. Unlike traditional gambling venues, once you register at a sweepstakes casino, you do not deposit any money rather gain some of the free sweepstakes currency. Then, you can use this currency to play the available games and win more of the same currency. Later, you can redeem the currency for small cash prizes or vouchers.

Legal Gambling Age in Minnesota

The US legal gambling age normally varies between 18 and 21. The legal gambling age in Minnesota is 18 years old. This applies to all the legal gambling activities in the state, including tribal casinos, lottery games, charitable gambling, etc. Some casinos that offer alcoholic beverages may impose a minimum legal age of 21.

Minnesota Gambling History and Legal Status

Despite not being the most rigorous ones in the USA (like the Texas gambling laws for example), the Minnesota gambling laws are extremely strict. In the last few years, lawmakers have expressed an interest in legalizing sports betting, so we will keep an eye out and keep you up to date with any future developments.

Currently, the gambling laws in Minnesota allow horserace betting, charitable and social gambling, tribal casinos, and state lottery. Daily fantasy sports betting sites operate in an unregulated area of the market. Internet gambling is illegal according to Minnesota laws on online gambling. The legal gambling activities are regulated by the Minnesota Gambling Control Board and the Minnesota Racing Commission.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Minnesota Gambling

We have reached the end of our Minnesota gambling laws article. Hopefully, we managed to shed some light on the situation in the state and provide the most vital details you need. If you still have any questions, make sure to have a look at our helpful FAQ section below:

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