Dozens of people, including NBA players and a coach, are embroiled in federal investigations involving an alleged sports betting scheme and organized crime ring—the latest to put a spotlight on sports gambling.
It's legal in 40 states, but Minnesota is not one of them.
Will that change next year when the Legislature convenes for the 2026 session?
Sen. Erin Maye Quade, DFL-Apple Valley, said she hopes not.
"We have not seen this happen in Minnesota yet. And I think part of it is that the culture of sports betting is not as prevalent as it is in other states where they've legalized sports betting," she said in an interview. "So I think we've kept this very, very predatory industry from being injected into sports in Minnesota."
Sports betting in Minnesota is a unique issue that has both bipartisan support and opposition at the capitol. Any legislation requires careful crafting to the many stakeholders—tribal-owned casinos, horseracing tracks, the professional sports teams and sportsbooks—on board.
Efforts to pass a law have collapsed the last few years. Just earlier this year, DFL Sen. Matt Klein, who sponsored a bill in that chamber, thought he finally had a deal to appease everyone but itdidn't even clear its first committee.
Under that plan, Minnesotans could place legal bets at the state's casinos and through mobile apps. The state's horse racing tracks would have received a slice of the revenue pie, since there wouldn't be sports gambling allowed at their locations.
There were also certain consumer protections, like a ban on push notifications from any gambling app and prohibiting sportsbooks from providing promotions or incentives that might drive a problem gambler to bet even more.
Otherproposals have also surfacedat the capitol, too.
Rep. Nolan West, R-Blaine, said he plans on introducing another proposal next year, but acknowledges it faces steep hurdles given the unique dynamics.
"Everybody's really dug in on the issue so we got basically zero movement last year," West said. "I plan on attempting again, but if nobody has decided to actually enter into negotiations, of course, nothing's going to happen."
Maye Quade believes that stories like the federal investigation announced Thursday bolsters her argument that legalization would do more harm than good.She said those headlines change the minds of legislators who previously were apathetic about the issue and moves them towards her position.
A Pew Research poll shows more Americans have a negative perception of sports gambling now than they did three years ago. The survey this summer found 43% say it's a "bad thing" for society, up from 36% around the same time in 2022.
Nearly half of Minnesota voters said they supported sports betting in 2022, according to a poll from the Minnesota Star Tribune.
"Every year that goes by we see more and more negative effects. And quite frankly, the side that supports legalized sports betting in Minnesota, it dwindles every year. They've lost more people. We've gained more people," she said.
West said he hears the concerns of opponents who worry about how the largest expansion of legal gambling in Minnesota in decades would impact those who are addicted, particularly when it comes to online bets.
But he said that isn't enough of a reason to keep Minnesota as an outlier in the region.
"I'm happy to have that discussion and figure out how we can navigate that and minimize the negative impact. But right now, we have the negative impact without any benefit, and I don't think that's a good situation," he said.
Others may also introduce legislation alongside West when lawmakers return to St. Paul in February. But no matter whose bill gains traction, bipartisan support is necessary in order to pass a politically divided Legislature.
Earlier this year, the National Conference of State Legislatures analyzed sports betting laws across the country and found that "the frenzy around sports betting expansion" had slowed as state lawmakers shifted their attention towards state revenues.