Minnesota Takes Another Swing at Legal Sports Betting with New Senate Bill

Minnesota Takes Another Swing at Legal Sports Betting with New Senate Bill

Minnesota's push for legal sports betting is heating up again after a bipartisan group of state senators introduced SF 4319, the latest attempt to bring sports betting to the Gopher State. 

If you've been waiting to wager on the Timberwolves, Vikings, or Wild while using sports betting apps from your couch, this bill could finally make it happen. Senators Nick Frentz, Jeremy Miller, Eric Pratt, and Julia Coleman are backing the legislation, which would authorize both retail and mobile wagering across the state. The real question now: Can this version actually cross the finish line where previous efforts have stalled?

What's in SF 4319?

Here's what the bill proposes for sports betting in Minnesota:

  • Up to 11 sportsbook licenses available statewide
  • 22% tax rate on sports betting revenue
  • Initial $250,000 licensing fee
  • The Minnesota Gambling Control Board would oversee regulation
  • 21+ age requirement for all bettors

How SF 4319 Differs From Previous Attempts

Minnesota has been dancing around sports betting legalization since PASPA fell in 2018, but SF 4319 marks a strategic shift.

Previous bills—including efforts in 2023 and 2024—tried to balance retail and mobile betting while navigating tribal gaming compact negotiations. Those proposals stalled partly because of disagreements over tribal exclusivity periods and how commercial operators would fit into Minnesota's existing gaming landscape.

SF 4319 strips away retail entirely. By going mobile-only, legislators are acknowledging what other states learned the hard way: mobile betting sites drives over 90% of total handle anyway. 

Who's Likely to Launch 

Expect the usual suspects if SF 4319 becomes law, including DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, Fanatics Sportsbook and theScore Bet

Additional entries could include bet365, Bally Bet and Underdog, which have been expanding recently as well. Tribal partners may launch their own branded apps.

And here are the tribes that are eligible to hold a sports betting license:

  • Bois Forte Band
  • Fond du Lac Band
  • Grand Portage Band
  • Leech Lake Band
  • Lower Sioux Indian Community
  • Mille Lacs Band
  • Prairie Island Indian Community
  • Red Lake Nation
  • Upper Sioux Community
  • Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community
  • White Earth Band

When Could MN Sports Betting Launch?

A realistic view is that Minnesota sports betting would be live in early 2027. This takes into account the MN legislative session, which runs through May, and the average nine-month passage-to-launch timeline that other sports betting states have experienced. 

Regulatory framework takes months, operators need time to integrate systems, and tribal partnerships require negotiation.

What Happens Next

SF 4319 now heads to committee hearings where legislators will debate the specifics. Previous bills have died in committee or failed to gain enough support for a floor vote, so nothing's guaranteed here.

Minnesota's tried this before—multiple times—and various interests (tribal gaming concerns, pro sports teams wanting a cut, budget negotiations) have derailed momentum. The bipartisan sponsorship is promising, but don't place any bets on this just yet. 

For now, betting on Minnesota sports teams remains illegal within state borders unless you're at a tribal casino offering limited sports pools. We'll keep tracking SF 4319 as it moves through the legislature. 

This article is part of our Betting Promotions series.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Blake Weishaar
Blake is a Senior Sports Betting Expert at RotoWire, covering all aspects of the gambling industry but specializing in the regulatory, legislative and nuts-and-bolts side. For over a decade, Blake has been at the forefront of the gambling industry on the editorial and consulting side, prominently covering the rapid expansion of sports betting since the repeal of PASPA in 2018. In his own time (not there is much), Blake roots for his favorite teams the Baltimore Ravens, Baltimore Orioles, Washington Capitals and Maryland Terrapins. You may also hear him touting his winning betslips on the NFL, MLB and NBA. For fantasy, his creed is taking RB back-to-back, but he still bears the shame of drafting CMC with the number 1 overall pick for the 2024 season, which resulted in perhaps one of the worst fantasy seasons in history. Outside of sports, he frequents the gym and the local golf courses.