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A Minnesota lawmaker will introduce a bill to legalize sports betting Monday, following in the footsteps of New Jersey.
State Rep. Phyliss Kahn (DFL-Minneapolis) understands the uphill battle she faces especially in light of the professional leagues filing suit against New Jersey in an effort to try and quash that state’s attempts to institute sports betting.
"There already is plenty of betting on sports happening on the internet and we don't get to take advantage of the benefits of this. It is hypocritical of us to allow certain forms of gaming, but not others," Kahn told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS.
Opponents of gambling expansion argue it does not aid job growth or fuel economic gains.
"This is nothing more than a tax on the poor and it just makes more money that allows for the expansion of government and not the private sector." Annette Meeks, of the Minnesota Freedom Foundation, said.
Still, there are numbers that support Kahn’s assessment of the sports wagering potential for Minnesota.
In Nevada, Americans had wagered an estimated $3.8 billion on the Super Bowl between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks. Nevada is the only state where sports betting is permitted on a near unlimited basis.
- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com
