HF778 Bill Summary

• Authorizes mobile sports betting in Minnesota for individuals age 21+ through licensed operators, with the Commissioner of Public Safety regulating the industry and issuing two master licenses (one for Ojibwe tribes, one for Dakota tribes) and up to 11 operator licenses.

• Imposes a 10% tax on sports betting net revenue from online wagers, effective after June 30, 2023, with revenue allocated to regulation ($2.7M), tax administration ($1.353M), problem gambling treatment/awareness (50%), and amateur sports grants (50%).

• Prohibits local governments from requiring additional licenses or imposing taxes/fees on sports betting, establishes exclusion lists for problem gamblers and restricted individuals (athletes, coaches, officials), and requires operators to maintain cash reserves and contract with integrity monitoring providers.

• Creates criminal penalties ranging from misdemeanors to felonies for unauthorized wagering, wagering by those under 21, accepting wagers from prohibited individuals, and match-fixing; allows aggregation of wagers within six-month periods for prosecution purposes.

• Establishes the amateur sports integrity and participation account to fund grants for promoting amateur sports integrity (20%) and youth sports participation in high-crime areas (80%), with $150,000 appropriated for a study on young adult gambling motivations.