Hello from the State Capitol,
On Tuesday, a plan was unveiled by House and Senate Democrats that would allow sports gambling to take place in Minnesota.
The problem is the plan is tribal exclusive, meaning you can make a bet at any of the state’s tribal casinos, but you would not be able to wager on sports at any of Minnesota’s horse racetracks, including Running Aces.
This is not what the public wants. In a recent poll, 57% of respondents say they support sports betting in Native American casinos and the state’s two horse tracks. Only 7% support sports betting at Native American casinos exclusively.
The State of Iowa allowed for both online and retail sportsbooks to open at the same time when it legalized sports betting in 2019. Since Iowa legalized sports betting, horse tracks have suffered dearly. Wagering on horse racing, in Iowa, is down 35-40%. Our tracks cannot survive that kind of hit.
There is a broad market for sports betting, and it should not be confined to special interests. Running Aces impacts our local economy significantly and already allows gambling on the horses. It makes no sense for them to be prohibited from wagering on other sports.
Have a good weekend,
Nolan