A third bill looking to legalize sports betting in Minnesota was filed on Monday, marking yet another approach to how to regulate betting in the state, and one that would take very strict stances on advertising, available bets and deposit methods.
After Sen. Jeremy Miller returned with his Minnesota Sports Betting Act 3.0 and Sen. Matt Klein sponsored Senate Bill 757, Sen. John Marty and his co-sponsor Sen. David Dibble filed SB 978 on Monday.
Similarly to Marty’s SB 5330, which failed to progress out of the State and Local Government and Veterans Committee last year, SB 978 would allow for a maximum of 11 online sports betting operator licenses to be issued to entities wholly owned and controlled by an Indian Tribe. Those licenses would be valid for 20 years. Approved operators would be able to partner with one platform provider each, for whom licenses would be valid for three years.
Mobile sports wagering would be taxed at a minimum of 40% of net revenue. Half of the revenue would go towards problem gambling treatment and awareness initiatives, while 25% each would be dedicated to the state’s general fund and grants for addiction prevention and mental health services in public schools.
No credit cards or in-play betting and limited push notifications
The bill’s text includes several notable prohibitions. In-game betting would not be allowed, nor would the use of credit cards “or other methods by which payment can be made on credit, such as electronic wallets.”
Marty and Dibble’s bill would also impose several advertising restrictions, such as prohibiting ads on public property and banning the use of phrases including “risk-free,” “free play”. Advertising through various forms of media would also be disallowed if more than 10% of the medium’s targeted audience is reasonably expected to be individuals aged under 21.
In another notable measure, sending push notifications to users who are presently inactive on a sportsbook’s website or app to incentivize them to play would be forbidden.
Lawmakers place emphasis on player safeguards
SB 978 also places a strong emphasis on consumer protection, proposing measures such as a 24/7 helpline staffed by people trained in the psychology of gambling disorders and suicide prevention.
Bettors would be able to limit the amount they can deposit into accounts and lose on wagers, as well as how much time they can spend on a sports betting app during 24-hour and 30-day periods before incurring a “cooling-off period.”
Marty is the chair of the Minnesota Senate Finance Committee, which held a wide-ranging discussion on sports betting in early January. At that hearing, several testifiers raised concerns about the risks associated with regulated online betting.
