By the second or third week of January, most US states and their respective legislative sessions are already underway. There are only ten states remaining without some form of locally regulated sports betting, but that number could be reduced to nine in the coming months.
Minnesota
Yesterday, a Senate Finance Committee hearing was dedicated to legal sports betting in Minnesota and discussing the pros and cons. In this case, the cons reigned as several recovering problem gamblers, and lawmakers from other states testified before lawmakers to warn of the perils of addiction to betting.
Senator Matt Klein has introduced a new sports betting bill that he hopes will address the concerns associated with the presence of domestic sportsbooks in MN. There are two camps – those that are concerned about the impact of local sports betting on the citizenry, and those that are concerned about who gets a share of the profits.
“[sports betting] will usher in a new era of gambling for our state, resulting in a massive expansion and unleashing negative consequences for the youth and those who become quickly addicted to the easy access of gambling.”
Citizens Against Gambling Expansion
Klein’s bill would grant licenses to the state’s eleven tribal casinos, and also give them exclusive reign over online sportsbooks as well. This would be a similar model to what Florida employs, but with more than one tribe involved.
The state would tax winnings at a rate of 22%, and also includes precautionary measures to discourage problem gaming. One such provision is a three-hour waiting period on placing a wager following the uploading of funds to an online sportsbook.
There is also a sense of urgency to usher in local sportsbooks due to the presence of offshore options that continue to syphon money out of the state.
New Hampshire
Of the 40 US states that feature domestic sports betting, only eight of them allow 18-year-old’s to participate. The minimum age for sports betting in New Hampshire is currently set at 18, but lawmakers are mulling over the idea of raising the standard to 21.
The purpose of raising the minimum sports betting age is to curb excessive wagering amongst younger players. If the bill passes, the new minimum age would go into effect on January 1, 2026.
NH-based gamblers aged 18-to-20 can opt for offshore sportsbook sites that are 18-friendly if that happens.
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