New Amendment to Minnesota Sports Betting Bill Would Ban Live Betting

Minnesota’s latest sports betting bill just received a new amendment that is already making waves in the state legislature. The amendment bans in-game betting, meaning bettors can only place pre-game wagers. 

The new amendment aims to make sports betting as safe as possible in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Supporters believe that live betting is one of the significant drivers of problem gambling in the US, so banning it would curb the problem if the industry is legalized. 

"If we're taking a product safety approach or are being cautious, this is one common sense thing for us to adopt," said amendment sponsor Sen. Jordan Rasmusson.

Proponents of the amendment hope it will be the compromise needed to launch legal sports betting in Minnesota. However, a lot of pushback has again put the bill's future in jeopardy.

Opponents of the amendment argue that banning live betting will majorly hit the state’s revenue. According to the Sports Betting Alliance, a group that includes operators such as FanDuel and DraftKings, live betting makes up about 50% of all wagers in the US. With so many bettors looking for in-game wagering, they could choose unregulated operators. Wagering with those operators can significantly contribute to problem gambling, negating the amendment’s original intention. 

In addition to banning in-game betting, there are changes to the bill that would limit the amount of bets & money bet in a single day. 

Which State Will be Next to Legalize Sports Betting?

With North Carolina's sports betting going live on Monday, 38 states have legalized sports betting markets. While states like Minnesota are currently considering sports betting bills, none have strong hopes for legalization in 2024.

The remaining states have raised major concerns over problem gambling, especially among underage players. While amendments like the one that Minnesota recently added could help, the cut to projected revenue numbers is unlikely to pass.