Minnesota lawmakers are again at risk of falling short on legalizing sports gambling, with the 2025 legislative session set to end on May 19.

Minnesota’s legislature has been pursuing the legalization of sports betting since 2019, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 decision to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which allowed states to authorize sports wagering. 

Previous attempts at legislation faced challenges due to disagreements over financial interests and control between tribal nations, racetracks and commercial operators, according to CBS. 

Even with support from all eleven Minnesota tribes, state horse tracks and charitable gaming operators, a Senate bill failed to pass in February. Two follow-up bills, S.F. 3414 and H.F. 1842, were introduced to keep the legalization efforts alive.

With little time left in the session and no deal in sight, Minnesota remains an outlier among 40 U.S. states and the District of Columbia without any legal framework for sports betting, according to the American Gaming Association. 

The lack of regulations on daily fantasy sports, or DFS, in Minnesota has allowed some companies to operate in a gray area, according to Sports Handle. Companies structure their games with labels such as fantasy sports or “betting exchanges,” in which users bet against each other rather than traditional sportsbook platforms.

Greg Kajewski, CEO and co-founder of BettorEdge, a peer-to-peer DFS app operating in Minnesota, said fantasy apps differ from sportsbooks because bets are not placed against a bookmaker who financially gains from losses. He added fantasy betting is peer-to-peer, where you are competing against your friends and having fun.

“If I said, ‘How many times, you know, how many push-ups could you do right now?’ And we put, you know, $5-10 on it, that’s a very different type of friendly banter than an actual business that’s out to make money against you,” Kajewski said.

Many DFS apps, such as Sleeper, PrizePicks and Underdog, voluntarily limit their selection of gambling options despite not being regulated or restricted. For example, Sleeper restricts users to only one pick per bettor and excludes moneyline bets — wagers placed on a team to win.

Other popular platforms like FanDuel and DraftKings chose to exclude Minnesota from their services rather than risk legal repercussions. 

Minnesota Sen. Jeremy Miller, R-Winona, said illegal sports betting is prevalent in Minnesota, and those who previously opposed legalization are beginning to recognize the extent of the illegal gambling already taking place. 

Online Minnesota sports gambling analytics found that $929 million was spent illegally on sports gambling in 2023, according to a report from Play Minnesota, an organization that prioritizes gambling industry news and updates.

“Gambling in Minnesota is already very readily available,” Miller said. “You can walk down to your local convenience stores and play the Minnesota lottery, you can go to a casino, you can bet on horses in Minnesota, I think you might even be able to buy lottery tickets online.”

A 24-hour voluntary informal survey of University of Minnesota students found that 40.6% of 480 students participated in fantasy sports, while only 16.5% of 532 students bet on sports regularly. 

McKray Tuma, a third-year economics student at the University, said he stopped betting after losing too much money. Tuma, originally from Rochester, Minnesota, said he lost around $200 through apps like FanDuel and PrizePicks during his two years at Hofstra University in New York before transferring to Minnesota. 

“I probably don’t make the best decisions, I think I put too much money on certain bets,” Tuma said. “I just throw like $10 or $20 on multiple picks, like five picks.”

Hudson Weber, a 22-year-old fourth-year University student from Onalaska, Wisconsin, said he never uses his own money on the apps, relying instead on promotional offers and continuing to play with his winnings. He bets around once a week and believes that gambling becomes a problem when it leads to financial hardship, especially if someone is betting every day.

“I think it’s easy to get attracted to winning a big profit, and then get sucked into that habit and think that you’ll make it back, but you probably won’t,” Weber said. 

Problem gambling is not defined by how often someone gambles, but by the disruptive impact on their life. Problem gambling can be characterized by financial problems, relationship issues and mental health consequences, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling. 

Susan Sheridan Tucker, executive director of the Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling, said bettors are manipulated through game tactics, like promotions, that entice users to continue playing and spending money. She said the biggest misconception with gambling addictions is understanding its severity. 

“It is not a lack of willpower. It is not a moral failing,” Sheridan Tucker said. “It has the same impact on the brain as a drug addiction.”

One of the major legislative hang-ups involves Minnesota’s two racetracks — Canterbury Park and Running Aces — which want a share of the sports betting market by operating their own sportsbook or partnering with mobile betting platforms, according to Minnesota Bets. However, the state’s tribes have consistently advocated for exclusive control over sports betting, a major reason the bill has stalled in the last few years. 

Although the Senate’s proposals attempt to accommodate the interests of both tribal nations and racetracks — giving tribes control over mobile sports betting while allowing limited on-site betting at racetracks — it is unclear whether there is enough time or support to push the bill through both chambers.

Opponents also worry that expanding gambling could worsen addiction and lead to increased problem gambling, according to CBS.

Legislators like Rep. Cedrick Frazier, DFL-New Hope, lead author of the House bill, are actively working with MNAPG to place a strong emphasis on problem gambling prevention. Frazier said the goal is to prevent young people from falling into harmful gambling behaviors and to make sure resources are available if they do.

“Legalizing sports betting in Minnesota gives us the opportunity to not just acknowledge the problem, but to actively address it by creating a regulatory framework and dedicating real resources to prevention, intervention and support that don’t actually exist,” Frazier said.

He emphasized the value of learning from states that have already legalized sports betting, using their experiences to shape a more effective and informed approach. 

“We’re going to be able to start from a place where we’ve seen what works, what didn’t work, and to put that in an initial onset to prevent as much as possible as we can with problem gambling,” Frazier said. 

Minnesota lawmakers are again at risk of falling short on legalizing sports gambling, with the 2025 legislative session set to end on May 19.

Minnesota’s legislature has been pursuing the legalization of sports betting since 2019, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 decision to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which allowed states to authorize sports wagering. 

Previous attempts at legislation faced challenges due to disagreements over financial interests and control between tribal nations, racetracks and commercial operators, according to CBS. 

Even with support from all eleven Minnesota tribes, state horse tracks and charitable gaming operators, a Senate bill failed to pass in February. Two follow-up bills, S.F. 3414 and H.F. 1842, were introduced to keep the legalization efforts alive.

With little time left in the session and no deal in sight, Minnesota remains an outlier among 40 U.S. states and the District of Columbia without any legal framework for sports betting, according to the American Gaming Association. 

The lack of regulations on daily fantasy sports, or DFS, in Minnesota has allowed some companies to operate in a gray area, according to Sports Handle. Companies structure their games with labels such as fantasy sports or “betting exchanges,” in which users bet against each other rather than traditional sportsbook platforms.

Greg Kajewski, CEO and co-founder of BettorEdge, a peer-to-peer DFS app operating in Minnesota, said fantasy apps differ from sportsbooks because bets are not placed against a bookmaker who financially gains from losses. He added fantasy betting is peer-to-peer, where you are competing against your friends and having fun.

“If I said, ‘How many times, you know, how many push-ups could you do right now?’ And we put, you know, $5-10 on it, that’s a very different type of friendly banter than an actual business that’s out to make money against you,” Kajewski said.

Many DFS apps, such as Sleeper, PrizePicks and Underdog, voluntarily limit their selection of gambling options despite not being regulated or restricted. For example, Sleeper restricts users to only one pick per bettor and excludes moneyline bets — wagers placed on a team to win.

Other popular platforms like FanDuel and DraftKings chose to exclude Minnesota from their services rather than risk legal repercussions. 

Minnesota Sen. Jeremy Miller, R-Winona, said illegal sports betting is prevalent in Minnesota, and those who previously opposed legalization are beginning to recognize the extent of the illegal gambling already taking place. 

Online Minnesota sports gambling analytics found that $929 million was spent illegally on sports gambling in 2023, according to a report from Play Minnesota, an organization that prioritizes gambling industry news and updates.

“Gambling in Minnesota is already very readily available,” Miller said. “You can walk down to your local convenience stores and play the Minnesota lottery, you can go to a casino, you can bet on horses in Minnesota, I think you might even be able to buy lottery tickets online.”

A 24-hour voluntary informal survey of University of Minnesota students found that 40.6% of 480 students participated in fantasy sports, while only 16.5% of 532 students bet on sports regularly. 

McKray Tuma, a third-year economics student at the University, said he stopped betting after losing too much money. Tuma, originally from Rochester, Minnesota, said he lost around $200 through apps like FanDuel and PrizePicks during his two years at Hofstra University in New York before transferring to Minnesota. 

“I probably don’t make the best decisions, I think I put too much money on certain bets,” Tuma said. “I just throw like $10 or $20 on multiple picks, like five picks.”

Hudson Weber, a 22-year-old fourth-year University student from Onalaska, Wisconsin, said he never uses his own money on the apps, relying instead on promotional offers and continuing to play with his winnings. He bets around once a week and believes that gambling becomes a problem when it leads to financial hardship, especially if someone is betting every day.

“I think it’s easy to get attracted to winning a big profit, and then get sucked into that habit and think that you’ll make it back, but you probably won’t,” Weber said. 

Problem gambling is not defined by how often someone gambles, but by the disruptive impact on their life. Problem gambling can be characterized by financial problems, relationship issues and mental health consequences, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling. 

Susan Sheridan Tucker, executive director of the Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling, said bettors are manipulated through game tactics, like promotions, that entice users to continue playing and spending money. She said the biggest misconception with gambling addictions is understanding its severity. 

“It is not a lack of willpower. It is not a moral failing,” Sheridan Tucker said. “It has the same impact on the brain as a drug addiction.”

One of the major legislative hang-ups involves Minnesota’s two racetracks — Canterbury Park and Running Aces — which want a share of the sports betting market by operating their own sportsbook or partnering with mobile betting platforms, according to Minnesota Bets. However, the state’s tribes have consistently advocated for exclusive control over sports betting, a major reason the bill has stalled in the last few years. 

Although the Senate’s proposals attempt to accommodate the interests of both tribal nations and racetracks — giving tribes control over mobile sports betting while allowing limited on-site betting at racetracks — it is unclear whether there is enough time or support to push the bill through both chambers.

Opponents also worry that expanding gambling could worsen addiction and lead to increased problem gambling, according to CBS.

Legislators like Rep. Cedrick Frazier, DFL-New Hope, lead author of the House bill, are actively working with MNAPG to place a strong emphasis on problem gambling prevention. Frazier said the goal is to prevent young people from falling into harmful gambling behaviors and to make sure resources are available if they do.

“Legalizing sports betting in Minnesota gives us the opportunity to not just acknowledge the problem, but to actively address it by creating a regulatory framework and dedicating real resources to prevention, intervention and support that don’t actually exist,” Frazier said.

He emphasized the value of learning from states that have already legalized sports betting, using their experiences to shape a more effective and informed approach. 

“We’re going to be able to start from a place where we’ve seen what works, what didn’t work, and to put that in an initial onset to prevent as much as possible as we can with problem gambling,” Frazier said. 

Minnesota lawmakers are again at risk of falling short on legalizing sports gambling, with the 2025 legislative session set to end on May 19.

Minnesota’s legislature has been pursuing the legalization of sports betting since 2019, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 decision to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which allowed states to authorize sports wagering. 

Previous attempts at legislation faced challenges due to disagreements over financial interests and control between tribal nations, racetracks and commercial operators, according to CBS. 

Even with support from all eleven Minnesota tribes, state horse tracks and charitable gaming operators, a Senate bill failed to pass in February. Two follow-up bills, S.F. 3414 and H.F. 1842, were introduced to keep the legalization efforts alive.

With little time left in the session and no deal in sight, Minnesota remains an outlier among 40 U.S. states and the District of Columbia without any legal framework for sports betting, according to the American Gaming Association. 

The lack of regulations on daily fantasy sports, or DFS, in Minnesota has allowed some companies to operate in a gray area, according to Sports Handle. Companies structure their games with labels such as fantasy sports or “betting exchanges,” in which users bet against each other rather than traditional sportsbook platforms.

Greg Kajewski, CEO and co-founder of BettorEdge, a peer-to-peer DFS app operating in Minnesota, said fantasy apps differ from sportsbooks because bets are not placed against a bookmaker who financially gains from losses. He added fantasy betting is peer-to-peer, where you are competing against your friends and having fun.

“If I said, ‘How many times, you know, how many push-ups could you do right now?’ And we put, you know, $5-10 on it, that’s a very different type of friendly banter than an actual business that’s out to make money against you,” Kajewski said.

Many DFS apps, such as Sleeper, PrizePicks and Underdog, voluntarily limit their selection of gambling options despite not being regulated or restricted. For example, Sleeper restricts users to only one pick per bettor and excludes moneyline bets — wagers placed on a team to win.

Other popular platforms like FanDuel and DraftKings chose to exclude Minnesota from their services rather than risk legal repercussions. 

Minnesota Sen. Jeremy Miller, R-Winona, said illegal sports betting is prevalent in Minnesota, and those who previously opposed legalization are beginning to recognize the extent of the illegal gambling already taking place. 

Online Minnesota sports gambling analytics found that $929 million was spent illegally on sports gambling in 2023, according to a report from Play Minnesota, an organization that prioritizes gambling industry news and updates.

“Gambling in Minnesota is already very readily available,” Miller said. “You can walk down to your local convenience stores and play the Minnesota lottery, you can go to a casino, you can bet on horses in Minnesota, I think you might even be able to buy lottery tickets online.”

A 24-hour voluntary informal survey of University of Minnesota students found that 40.6% of 480 students participated in fantasy sports, while only 16.5% of 532 students bet on sports regularly. 

McKray Tuma, a third-year economics student at the University, said he stopped betting after losing too much money. Tuma, originally from Rochester, Minnesota, said he lost around $200 through apps like FanDuel and PrizePicks during his two years at Hofstra University in New York before transferring to Minnesota. 

“I probably don’t make the best decisions, I think I put too much money on certain bets,” Tuma said. “I just throw like $10 or $20 on multiple picks, like five picks.”

Hudson Weber, a 22-year-old fourth-year University student from Onalaska, Wisconsin, said he never uses his own money on the apps, relying instead on promotional offers and continuing to play with his winnings. He bets around once a week and believes that gambling becomes a problem when it leads to financial hardship, especially if someone is betting every day.

“I think it’s easy to get attracted to winning a big profit, and then get sucked into that habit and think that you’ll make it back, but you probably won’t,” Weber said. 

Problem gambling is not defined by how often someone gambles, but by the disruptive impact on their life. Problem gambling can be characterized by financial problems, relationship issues and mental health consequences, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling. 

Susan Sheridan Tucker, executive director of the Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling, said bettors are manipulated through game tactics, like promotions, that entice users to continue playing and spending money. She said the biggest misconception with gambling addictions is understanding its severity. 

“It is not a lack of willpower. It is not a moral failing,” Sheridan Tucker said. “It has the same impact on the brain as a drug addiction.”

One of the major legislative hang-ups involves Minnesota’s two racetracks — Canterbury Park and Running Aces — which want a share of the sports betting market by operating their own sportsbook or partnering with mobile betting platforms, according to Minnesota Bets. However, the state’s tribes have consistently advocated for exclusive control over sports betting, a major reason the bill has stalled in the last few years. 

Although the Senate’s proposals attempt to accommodate the interests of both tribal nations and racetracks — giving tribes control over mobile sports betting while allowing limited on-site betting at racetracks — it is unclear whether there is enough time or support to push the bill through both chambers.

Opponents also worry that expanding gambling could worsen addiction and lead to increased problem gambling, according to CBS.

Legislators like Rep. Cedrick Frazier, DFL-New Hope, lead author of the House bill, are actively working with MNAPG to place a strong emphasis on problem gambling prevention. Frazier said the goal is to prevent young people from falling into harmful gambling behaviors and to make sure resources are available if they do.

“Legalizing sports betting in Minnesota gives us the opportunity to not just acknowledge the problem, but to actively address it by creating a regulatory framework and dedicating real resources to prevention, intervention and support that don’t actually exist,” Frazier said.

He emphasized the value of learning from states that have already legalized sports betting, using their experiences to shape a more effective and informed approach. 

“We’re going to be able to start from a place where we’ve seen what works, what didn’t work, and to put that in an initial onset to prevent as much as possible as we can with problem gambling,” Frazier said. 

Minnesota lawmakers are again at risk of falling short on legalizing sports gambling, with the 2025 legislative session set to end on May 19.

Minnesota’s legislature has been pursuing the legalization of sports betting since 2019, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 decision to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which allowed states to authorize sports wagering. 

Previous attempts at legislation faced challenges due to disagreements over financial interests and control between tribal nations, racetracks and commercial operators, according to CBS. 

Even with support from all eleven Minnesota tribes, state horse tracks and charitable gaming operators, a Senate bill failed to pass in February. Two follow-up bills, S.F. 3414 and H.F. 1842, were introduced to keep the legalization efforts alive.

With little time left in the session and no deal in sight, Minnesota remains an outlier among 40 U.S. states and the District of Columbia without any legal framework for sports betting, according to the American Gaming Association. 

The lack of regulations on daily fantasy sports, or DFS, in Minnesota has allowed some companies to operate in a gray area, according to Sports Handle. Companies structure their games with labels such as fantasy sports or “betting exchanges,” in which users bet against each other rather than traditional sportsbook platforms.

Greg Kajewski, CEO and co-founder of BettorEdge, a peer-to-peer DFS app operating in Minnesota, said fantasy apps differ from sportsbooks because bets are not placed against a bookmaker who financially gains from losses. He added fantasy betting is peer-to-peer, where you are competing against your friends and having fun.

“If I said, ‘How many times, you know, how many push-ups could you do right now?’ And we put, you know, $5-10 on it, that’s a very different type of friendly banter than an actual business that’s out to make money against you,” Kajewski said.

Many DFS apps, such as Sleeper, PrizePicks and Underdog, voluntarily limit their selection of gambling options despite not being regulated or restricted. For example, Sleeper restricts users to only one pick per bettor and excludes moneyline bets — wagers placed on a team to win.

Other popular platforms like FanDuel and DraftKings chose to exclude Minnesota from their services rather than risk legal repercussions. 

Minnesota Sen. Jeremy Miller, R-Winona, said illegal sports betting is prevalent in Minnesota, and those who previously opposed legalization are beginning to recognize the extent of the illegal gambling already taking place. 

Online Minnesota sports gambling analytics found that $929 million was spent illegally on sports gambling in 2023, according to a report from Play Minnesota, an organization that prioritizes gambling industry news and updates.

“Gambling in Minnesota is already very readily available,” Miller said. “You can walk down to your local convenience stores and play the Minnesota lottery, you can go to a casino, you can bet on horses in Minnesota, I think you might even be able to buy lottery tickets online.”

A 24-hour voluntary informal survey of University of Minnesota students found that 40.6% of 480 students participated in fantasy sports, while only 16.5% of 532 students bet on sports regularly. 

McKray Tuma, a third-year economics student at the University, said he stopped betting after losing too much money. Tuma, originally from Rochester, Minnesota, said he lost around $200 through apps like FanDuel and PrizePicks during his two years at Hofstra University in New York before transferring to Minnesota. 

“I probably don’t make the best decisions, I think I put too much money on certain bets,” Tuma said. “I just throw like $10 or $20 on multiple picks, like five picks.”

Hudson Weber, a 22-year-old fourth-year University student from Onalaska, Wisconsin, said he never uses his own money on the apps, relying instead on promotional offers and continuing to play with his winnings. He bets around once a week and believes that gambling becomes a problem when it leads to financial hardship, especially if someone is betting every day.

“I think it’s easy to get attracted to winning a big profit, and then get sucked into that habit and think that you’ll make it back, but you probably won’t,” Weber said. 

Problem gambling is not defined by how often someone gambles, but by the disruptive impact on their life. Problem gambling can be characterized by financial problems, relationship issues and mental health consequences, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling. 

Susan Sheridan Tucker, executive director of the Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling, said bettors are manipulated through game tactics, like promotions, that entice users to continue playing and spending money. She said the biggest misconception with gambling addictions is understanding its severity. 

“It is not a lack of willpower. It is not a moral failing,” Sheridan Tucker said. “It has the same impact on the brain as a drug addiction.”

One of the major legislative hang-ups involves Minnesota’s two racetracks — Canterbury Park and Running Aces — which want a share of the sports betting market by operating their own sportsbook or partnering with mobile betting platforms, according to Minnesota Bets. However, the state’s tribes have consistently advocated for exclusive control over sports betting, a major reason the bill has stalled in the last few years. 

Although the Senate’s proposals attempt to accommodate the interests of both tribal nations and racetracks — giving tribes control over mobile sports betting while allowing limited on-site betting at racetracks — it is unclear whether there is enough time or support to push the bill through both chambers.

Opponents also worry that expanding gambling could worsen addiction and lead to increased problem gambling, according to CBS.

Legislators like Rep. Cedrick Frazier, DFL-New Hope, lead author of the House bill, are actively working with MNAPG to place a strong emphasis on problem gambling prevention. Frazier said the goal is to prevent young people from falling into harmful gambling behaviors and to make sure resources are available if they do.

“Legalizing sports betting in Minnesota gives us the opportunity to not just acknowledge the problem, but to actively address it by creating a regulatory framework and dedicating real resources to prevention, intervention and support that don’t actually exist,” Frazier said.

He emphasized the value of learning from states that have already legalized sports betting, using their experiences to shape a more effective and informed approach. 

“We’re going to be able to start from a place where we’ve seen what works, what didn’t work, and to put that in an initial onset to prevent as much as possible as we can with problem gambling,” Frazier said. 

Minnesota lawmakers are again at risk of falling short on legalizing sports gambling, with the 2025 legislative session set to end on May 19.

Minnesota’s legislature has been pursuing the legalization of sports betting since 2019, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 decision to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which allowed states to authorize sports wagering. 

Previous attempts at legislation faced challenges due to disagreements over financial interests and control between tribal nations, racetracks and commercial operators, according to CBS. 

Even with support from all eleven Minnesota tribes, state horse tracks and charitable gaming operators, a Senate bill failed to pass in February. Two follow-up bills, S.F. 3414 and H.F. 1842, were introduced to keep the legalization efforts alive.

With little time left in the session and no deal in sight, Minnesota remains an outlier among 40 U.S. states and the District of Columbia without any legal framework for sports betting, according to the American Gaming Association. 

The lack of regulations on daily fantasy sports, or DFS, in Minnesota has allowed some companies to operate in a gray area, according to Sports Handle. Companies structure their games with labels such as fantasy sports or “betting exchanges,” in which users bet against each other rather than traditional sportsbook platforms.

Greg Kajewski, CEO and co-founder of BettorEdge, a peer-to-peer DFS app operating in Minnesota, said fantasy apps differ from sportsbooks because bets are not placed against a bookmaker who financially gains from losses. He added fantasy betting is peer-to-peer, where you are competing against your friends and having fun.

“If I said, ‘How many times, you know, how many push-ups could you do right now?’ And we put, you know, $5-10 on it, that’s a very different type of friendly banter than an actual business that’s out to make money against you,” Kajewski said.

Many DFS apps, such as Sleeper, PrizePicks and Underdog, voluntarily limit their selection of gambling options despite not being regulated or restricted. For example, Sleeper restricts users to only one pick per bettor and excludes moneyline bets — wagers placed on a team to win.

Other popular platforms like FanDuel and DraftKings chose to exclude Minnesota from their services rather than risk legal repercussions. 

Minnesota Sen. Jeremy Miller, R-Winona, said illegal sports betting is prevalent in Minnesota, and those who previously opposed legalization are beginning to recognize the extent of the illegal gambling already taking place. 

Online Minnesota sports gambling analytics found that $929 million was spent illegally on sports gambling in 2023, according to a report from Play Minnesota, an organization that prioritizes gambling industry news and updates.

“Gambling in Minnesota is already very readily available,” Miller said. “You can walk down to your local convenience stores and play the Minnesota lottery, you can go to a casino, you can bet on horses in Minnesota, I think you might even be able to buy lottery tickets online.”

A 24-hour voluntary informal survey of University of Minnesota students found that 40.6% of 480 students participated in fantasy sports, while only 16.5% of 532 students bet on sports regularly. 

McKray Tuma, a third-year economics student at the University, said he stopped betting after losing too much money. Tuma, originally from Rochester, Minnesota, said he lost around $200 through apps like FanDuel and PrizePicks during his two years at Hofstra University in New York before transferring to Minnesota. 

“I probably don’t make the best decisions, I think I put too much money on certain bets,” Tuma said. “I just throw like $10 or $20 on multiple picks, like five picks.”

Hudson Weber, a 22-year-old fourth-year University student from Onalaska, Wisconsin, said he never uses his own money on the apps, relying instead on promotional offers and continuing to play with his winnings. He bets around once a week and believes that gambling becomes a problem when it leads to financial hardship, especially if someone is betting every day.

“I think it’s easy to get attracted to winning a big profit, and then get sucked into that habit and think that you’ll make it back, but you probably won’t,” Weber said. 

Problem gambling is not defined by how often someone gambles, but by the disruptive impact on their life. Problem gambling can be characterized by financial problems, relationship issues and mental health consequences, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling. 

Susan Sheridan Tucker, executive director of the Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling, said bettors are manipulated through game tactics, like promotions, that entice users to continue playing and spending money. She said the biggest misconception with gambling addictions is understanding its severity. 

“It is not a lack of willpower. It is not a moral failing,” Sheridan Tucker said. “It has the same impact on the brain as a drug addiction.”

One of the major legislative hang-ups involves Minnesota’s two racetracks — Canterbury Park and Running Aces — which want a share of the sports betting market by operating their own sportsbook or partnering with mobile betting platforms, according to Minnesota Bets. However, the state’s tribes have consistently advocated for exclusive control over sports betting, a major reason the bill has stalled in the last few years. 

Although the Senate’s proposals attempt to accommodate the interests of both tribal nations and racetracks — giving tribes control over mobile sports betting while allowing limited on-site betting at racetracks — it is unclear whether there is enough time or support to push the bill through both chambers.

Opponents also worry that expanding gambling could worsen addiction and lead to increased problem gambling, according to CBS.

Legislators like Rep. Cedrick Frazier, DFL-New Hope, lead author of the House bill, are actively working with MNAPG to place a strong emphasis on problem gambling prevention. Frazier said the goal is to prevent young people from falling into harmful gambling behaviors and to make sure resources are available if they do.

“Legalizing sports betting in Minnesota gives us the opportunity to not just acknowledge the problem, but to actively address it by creating a regulatory framework and dedicating real resources to prevention, intervention and support that don’t actually exist,” Frazier said.

He emphasized the value of learning from states that have already legalized sports betting, using their experiences to shape a more effective and informed approach. 

“We’re going to be able to start from a place where we’ve seen what works, what didn’t work, and to put that in an initial onset to prevent as much as possible as we can with problem gambling,” Frazier said. 

Minnesota lawmakers are again at risk of falling short on legalizing sports gambling, with the 2025 legislative session set to end on May 19.

Minnesota’s legislature has been pursuing the legalization of sports betting since 2019, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 decision to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which allowed states to authorize sports wagering. 

Previous attempts at legislation faced challenges due to disagreements over financial interests and control between tribal nations, racetracks and commercial operators, according to CBS. 

Even with support from all eleven Minnesota tribes, state horse tracks and charitable gaming operators, a Senate bill failed to pass in February. Two follow-up bills, S.F. 3414 and H.F. 1842, were introduced to keep the legalization efforts alive.

With little time left in the session and no deal in sight, Minnesota remains an outlier among 40 U.S. states and the District of Columbia without any legal framework for sports betting, according to the American Gaming Association. 

The lack of regulations on daily fantasy sports, or DFS, in Minnesota has allowed some companies to operate in a gray area, according to Sports Handle. Companies structure their games with labels such as fantasy sports or “betting exchanges,” in which users bet against each other rather than traditional sportsbook platforms.

Greg Kajewski, CEO and co-founder of BettorEdge, a peer-to-peer DFS app operating in Minnesota, said fantasy apps differ from sportsbooks because bets are not placed against a bookmaker who financially gains from losses. He added fantasy betting is peer-to-peer, where you are competing against your friends and having fun.

“If I said, ‘How many times, you know, how many push-ups could you do right now?’ And we put, you know, $5-10 on it, that’s a very different type of friendly banter than an actual business that’s out to make money against you,” Kajewski said.

Many DFS apps, such as Sleeper, PrizePicks and Underdog, voluntarily limit their selection of gambling options despite not being regulated or restricted. For example, Sleeper restricts users to only one pick per bettor and excludes moneyline bets — wagers placed on a team to win.

Other popular platforms like FanDuel and DraftKings chose to exclude Minnesota from their services rather than risk legal repercussions. 

Minnesota Sen. Jeremy Miller, R-Winona, said illegal sports betting is prevalent in Minnesota, and those who previously opposed legalization are beginning to recognize the extent of the illegal gambling already taking place. 

Online Minnesota sports gambling analytics found that $929 million was spent illegally on sports gambling in 2023, according to a report from Play Minnesota, an organization that prioritizes gambling industry news and updates.

“Gambling in Minnesota is already very readily available,” Miller said. “You can walk down to your local convenience stores and play the Minnesota lottery, you can go to a casino, you can bet on horses in Minnesota, I think you might even be able to buy lottery tickets online.”

A 24-hour voluntary informal survey of University of Minnesota students found that 40.6% of 480 students participated in fantasy sports, while only 16.5% of 532 students bet on sports regularly. 

McKray Tuma, a third-year economics student at the University, said he stopped betting after losing too much money. Tuma, originally from Rochester, Minnesota, said he lost around $200 through apps like FanDuel and PrizePicks during his two years at Hofstra University in New York before transferring to Minnesota. 

“I probably don’t make the best decisions, I think I put too much money on certain bets,” Tuma said. “I just throw like $10 or $20 on multiple picks, like five picks.”

Hudson Weber, a 22-year-old fourth-year University student from Onalaska, Wisconsin, said he never uses his own money on the apps, relying instead on promotional offers and continuing to play with his winnings. He bets around once a week and believes that gambling becomes a problem when it leads to financial hardship, especially if someone is betting every day.

“I think it’s easy to get attracted to winning a big profit, and then get sucked into that habit and think that you’ll make it back, but you probably won’t,” Weber said. 

Problem gambling is not defined by how often someone gambles, but by the disruptive impact on their life. Problem gambling can be characterized by financial problems, relationship issues and mental health consequences, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling. 

Susan Sheridan Tucker, executive director of the Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling, said bettors are manipulated through game tactics, like promotions, that entice users to continue playing and spending money. She said the biggest misconception with gambling addictions is understanding its severity. 

“It is not a lack of willpower. It is not a moral failing,” Sheridan Tucker said. “It has the same impact on the brain as a drug addiction.”

One of the major legislative hang-ups involves Minnesota’s two racetracks — Canterbury Park and Running Aces — which want a share of the sports betting market by operating their own sportsbook or partnering with mobile betting platforms, according to Minnesota Bets. However, the state’s tribes have consistently advocated for exclusive control over sports betting, a major reason the bill has stalled in the last few years. 

Although the Senate’s proposals attempt to accommodate the interests of both tribal nations and racetracks — giving tribes control over mobile sports betting while allowing limited on-site betting at racetracks — it is unclear whether there is enough time or support to push the bill through both chambers.

Opponents also worry that expanding gambling could worsen addiction and lead to increased problem gambling, according to CBS.

Legislators like Rep. Cedrick Frazier, DFL-New Hope, lead author of the House bill, are actively working with MNAPG to place a strong emphasis on problem gambling prevention. Frazier said the goal is to prevent young people from falling into harmful gambling behaviors and to make sure resources are available if they do.

“Legalizing sports betting in Minnesota gives us the opportunity to not just acknowledge the problem, but to actively address it by creating a regulatory framework and dedicating real resources to prevention, intervention and support that don’t actually exist,” Frazier said.

He emphasized the value of learning from states that have already legalized sports betting, using their experiences to shape a more effective and informed approach. 

“We’re going to be able to start from a place where we’ve seen what works, what didn’t work, and to put that in an initial onset to prevent as much as possible as we can with problem gambling,” Frazier said. 

Engulfed by a sea of red just a shade from their own maroon, the Gophers women’s basketball team fell 87-84 in a hard-fought overtime battle against No. 9 Ohio State on Thursday.

With NCAA tournament hopes and a potential Big Ten tournament bye on the line, the Gophers faced a daunting challenge against Ohio State, who moved to 10-3 in conference play after the win.

Statistically, the two teams were closely matched. Over the last ten games, the Buckeyes averaged 71.1 points while shooting 41.3% from the field, closely mirroring Minnesota’s 70.7 points per game and 41.5% shooting.

The Buckeyes entered Thursday’s matchup after back-to-back losses to No. 1 UCLA and No. 6 University of Southern California, their second and third losses of the season.

Despite their losing streak, the Buckeyes returned home reenergized, forcing a season-high 21 turnovers from the Gophers. The Gophers were previously ranked second in the country for having the fewest turnovers per game.

On trend with their last few games, the Gophers started slow and staged a late 10-0 run. With nine seconds remaining in the game, the score stood at 71-74. 

Gophers head coach Dawn Plitzuweit highlighted her team’s versatility at the post in a Feb. 11 presser, noting how any of the five players on the court could step up, especially in the latter half of the game. 

“In that game, you saw a number of different players post up for us, certainly in the third and fourth quarter,” Plitzuweit said at the presser.

Sophomore Grace Grocholski’s 3-pointer in the final moments brought the Gophers within range, silencing the crowd and sending the game into overtime. 

Unlike their typical playing style, the Gophers struggled with ball control, committing seven turnovers that led to 11 points for the Buckeyes, who shot 71% in the first quarter. 

Buckeyes junior Cotie McMahon, whom Plitzuweit highlighted pregame, dominated inside. She went 3-3 in the paint in the game’s opening minutes.

McMahon finished the game as the leading scorer with 25 points, shooting 62.5% from the field. She added six assists and four rebounds. 

Freshman Ava Watson scored the second most points for the Buckeyes on the night. She went 4-4 in 3-pointers, accumulating all but four of her points from outside the arc. 

“We’ve got to find a way to match that or exceed that intensity to the best of our level,” Plitzuweit said at a Feb. 11 presser about Ohio State’s team. “We’re not gonna exceed their athleticism because that’s their forte.”

While McMahon and Watson led the way for Ohio State, Minnesota’s senior Sophie Hart had a notable performance of her own. She aided as a key presence in the paint, scoring a season-high 21 points. 

The Gophers had four others score double-digits, including junior Amaya Battle, who added 17 points and two steals, and fifth-year Annika Stewart who contributed 12 points.

After another conference loss, the Gophers look to secure some Big Ten wins ahead of the upcoming Big Ten tournament. The top 15 conference teams qualify for the tournament, the Gophers currently sit at No. 11. 

The Gophers will have the opportunity to do so in the coming weeks, facing four more Big Ten teams, University of Oregon (8-6), Purdue University (2-11), University of Washington (5-8) and Michigan State University (9-4).

With their eyes also on the upcoming NCAA tournament, the Gophers seek a marquee victory from their March 1 matchup versus No. 22 Michigan State to strengthen their chances at qualifying.

With Williams Arena noticeably quieter in the absence of Caitlin Clark, the Iowa Hawkeyes proved their strength, defeating the Gophers 68-60 to extend their winning streak to four games. 

The eight-point defeat, while less significant than last year’s 108-60 loss, extended the Hawkeyes rivalry win streak to 11 straight victories over the past 11 years.

Similarly to their recent loss to No. 7 Southern California, the Gophers could not recover from an early disadvantage. They entered the second quarter trailing the Hawkeyes by 11 points.

“We started incredibly slowly and dug ourselves a hole,” Gophers head coach Dawn Plitzuweit said. “We’ve got to find a way to be more disciplined and be a little bit tougher and start the game at a whole higher, a much higher level.” 

Guard Amaya Battle and forward Mallory Heyer were the only Gophers to make multiple field goals in the first half, while freshman Tori McKinney was the only other player to score. 

McKinney scored 13 of her 16 points in the second half of the game, emerging as the Gophers’ leading scorer. 

With the additional help of Minnesota native Annika Stewart, scoring all 14 of her points in the second half, the Gophers tied up the game with 4:33 remaining. 

Still, it was not enough for the Gophers to pull through, as they struggled to capitalize on rebounds. 

The Hawkeyes dominated the boards, outrebounding the Gophers 44-13. The rebound differential allowed the Hawkeyes to turn defensive opportunities into extended possessions.

“We gave up an offensive rebound on a free throw and we got out-toughed in those situations,” Plitzuweit said. “We have to capitalize in situations when we have them.”

Hawkeyes’ starting guard Sydney Affolter contributed 13 points, 14 rebounds and two steals. 

The Gophers 6-6 Big Ten record proves they can compete with Big Ten teams, but Heyer said they have strides to take as they near the end stretch of the season. 

“We can’t hang our heads now,” Heyer said. “We gotta keep working, we’re going to go watch film and figure out what we did wrong and how we can carry it into the next game.” 

The Gophers remain at Williams Arena as they prepare for Sunday’s matchup versus Indiana, another closely contested Big Ten opponent with a 7-4 conference record. 

“It’s important for us right now that we’ve got to regroup and we’ve got to do it fast,” Plitzuweit said.

Gophers women’s basketball squandered their opportunity to regain a top-25 ranking after falling 69-82 to No. 4 University of Southern California (USC) on Thursday. 

Riding the best season start in program history and earning their first AP Top-25 ranking since 2019, the Gophers briefly held the No. 23 spot before falling out of the rankings after last week’s 65-70 loss to the No. 24 Michigan Wolverines.

The Gophers struggled to match and combat the offensive energy of the Trojans early into the game, entering the second quarter with a 10-point deficit. Trojans sophomore guard JuJu Watkins scored 18 of her 20 points in the second half of the game. 

“(We) showed some toughness and resiliency, but, you know, unfortunately, it wasn’t enough in the end,” Gophers head coach Dawn Plitzuweit said. “We learned through that experience that we’ve got to probably start a lot better.” 

Another offensive hurdle for the Gophers was USC forward Kiki Iriafen. She racked up 23 points and 11 rebounds for the Trojans, going 81.8% in the paint and 2-2 from the 3-point line.

Plitzuweit cited Minnesota’s early turnovers and missed opportunities at the rim as key factors in their early scoring deficit. 

“They are loaded with offensive firepower in a lot of different ways,” Plitzuweit said. “We felt different players stepping up and hitting arc shots and that made it really, really tough for us.”

Gophers senior center Sophie Hart said she tried to be the strong offensive powerhouse Minnesota needed to combat USC’s strong post presence. 

Hart led the team in scoring and was one of three Gophers to reach double figures, finishing with 18 points and grabbing five offensive rebounds.

The Gophers held their ground defensively, holding the Trojans to a 7-0 run in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter and forcing two turnovers.

Despite the loss being hard to swallow, Hart said the Gophers’ fight in the fourth quarter gave them a boost of confidence in their playing style.

“I don’t know if two years ago, we would have had that same kind of dog in us to battle back like that,” Hart said. “That speaks a lot about our team.” 

The Gophers could not keep their early quarter momentum going, struggling to match Watkins’ offensive domination. Watkins’ performance led to her fourth double-double of the season. 

The Gophers remain in California for their upcoming match against No. 1 UCLA on Sunday.

Surrounded by a sea of red at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Nebraska, the Gophers’ perfect season ended as they could not overcome the Huskers on Saturday and fell 65-84 in the conference opener.

Without leading scorer Mara Braun for the Gophers and last season’s Big Ten Freshman of the Year Natalie Potts for the Huskers, both teams were without key guards. The Huskers were among nine Big Ten teams ranked in the top 25 going into Sunday’s matchup. 

Although undefeated, the Gophers were not among the top 25 teams. 

Gophers head coach Dawn Plitzuweit said her team only saw bits and pieces of the Huskers’ playing style from starting the season facing teams with an average winning percentage of .341. 

“They’re one of the best in the country and scoring efficiently at a 50% clip,” Plitzuweit said before the game. “They’re scoring 80-some points a game.”

And sure enough, the Huskers put 80-plus points on the board.

The Gophers’ double-digit deficit started in the first quarter, as they shot 20% from the field. The Huskers prioritized efficiency, taking fewer shots overall but hitting 51.7% from the field.  

Despite scoring more consistently in the second half, the Gophers could not overcome the early 17-point deficit.

In her first Big Ten matchup, Gophers freshman guard Tori McKinney was among the highest point scorers for her team. She contributed 11 points and two steals in her 35 minutes of play. 

McKinney started the matchup strong, recording a steal and taking it the length of the court to finish with a layup over the Huskers’ freshman Britt Prince in the first quarter.

Positive plays from the maroon and gold were quickly answered by the Huskers when Prince dropped a 3-pointer following McKinney’s layup.

Gophers sophomore Grace Grocholski was another key player on Sunday. She recorded 10 points, her sixth consecutive and seventh overall time recording double-digit points. 

Plitzuweit said Grocholski is someone who improved significantly since last year and took on a more versatile role, especially in the absence of Braun this season. 

“Last year when we looked at our team just in general, we probably had one or two players that we could really use in a certain type of an action,” Plitzuweit said. “(This year) Grace is one of those players, we need her and we expect her to do an awful lot for us.” 

Grocholski acknowledged the challenge of playing without Braun at this point in the season but expressed confidence in the team’s preparation for Nebraska.

“It’s always tough when an injury happens but I think we’re prepared on our own,” Grocholski said. “We just hope she recovers well and soon.”

After losing to Nebraska and struggling to capitalize on the 14 forced turnovers, the Gophers will need to regroup. Plitzuweit said they need to prioritize consistent possession as they shift their attention to their upcoming matchup against Jackson State on Wednesday.