Is Online Betting Legal in Minnesota?

No, online sports betting is not legal in Minnesota.

With 39 U.S. states now having some form of legalized sports betting (Missouri, the most recent to pass legislation, will go live sometime in 2025), only a handful of states remain where sports betting is illegal. That doesn’t mean that people aren’t betting in those states, including Texas, California, Georgia, and Minnesota, it just means that they’re doing so illegally – either through a neighborhood bookie or an offshore illegal website.

Of the 11 remaining states, Minnesota was closest to legalizing sports betting in 2024 before a potential bill fell apart before the legislative session ended in May.

In this article, we’ll look at how close Minnesota is to sports betting legalization, and if legalization stands a chance in 2025.

When will sports betting be legal in Minnesota?

Efforts are currently underway to legalize sports betting in Minnesota. Last session, legalization came close but fell apart at the 11th hour. Minnesota is one of only a handful of states that have yet to legalize the practice. Minnesota's neighbors (North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Wisconsin) have legalized sports gambling, adding more pressure on the state's legislature to do the same.

Should legislation pass in 2025, expect sports gambling to be active 6-9 months later.

2025 Minnesota Legal Betting Update

This should be the year for Minnesota, that's how strongly state Senator Jeremy Miller feels about the chances legalized sports gambling has in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

It’s time to get a sports betting bill passed here in Minnesota. Let’s work together and get it done! pic.twitter.com/TePloqFD89
— Jeremy Miller (@jeremyrmiller) November 7, 2024

Miller already has bill 1124 tabled and had its first reading on February 6, but it's facing tough opposition. Fellow senator John Marty, who chairs the Senate's Finance Committee, held a hearing to discuss the social and financial harms of legalized sports betting. No licensed operators were permitted to speak, sparking outrage with some calling the hearing a "media stunt".

While the hearing had merit it did little to bring legalized sports gambling to the state; instead, it drew an even harder line in the sand.

What Sports Betting Apps Are Legal in Minnesota?

If you live in Minnesota and want to place a legal wager on your favorite sport - try one of the DFS sites below! Daily Fantasy provides bettors with a safe alternative to offshore sportsbooks, with the same adrenaline rush you get from having some skin in the game.