Minnesota Legal Gambling Age

• Year Minnesota Regulated Gambling: Bingo (1945), Horseracing (1983), Lottery (1988), Casinos (1989), Card Clubs (1999)
• Estimated Tax Revenue from Gambling: $100 million
• Estimated Gambling Revenue: $700 million
• Minnesota Gambling Age: 18, although some casinos limit action to 21+
• Smoking ban: Smoking is banned in card clubs. It does not apply to tribal casinos.
• Minnesota Online gambling: Horse racing is the only legal form of online gambling

Minnesota Casino Locations: Shakopee, Forest Lake, Red Lake, Carlton, Cass Lake, Bagley, Grand Portage, Welch, Deer River, Mahnomen, Onamia, Star Lake, Thief River Falls, Hinckley, Morton, Warroad, Prior Lake, Duluth, Tower and Granite Falls. For individual casino locations, you can check out our interactive Minnesota casinos map.

Minnesota gambling offers a number of options to choose from. It all started with bingo in the 1940’s. Minnesota caught up to neighboring states in the 1980’s when it legalized horse racing and pari-mutuel pools related to it. A state lottery was added later in the 80’s. Seven Minnesota tribes received permission to offer slots and video poker around the same time.

There are laws that make it illegal for minors to gamble. Each state sets its own minimum age requirement for admittance into gaming establishments. Though many states have a standard 21 or older policy for gambling, some states allow 16 or 17 year olds to play. Minnesota casino are owned by local Indian tribes. The only table games permitted are blackjack and poker. The only slots allowed are the kind with video screens (no traditional reels). The legal gambling age is 18. Minnesota Gambling Control Board Rules The rules for lawful gambling electronic games, sports tipboard games, and other lawful gambling provisions are effective on Monday, July 15, 2019. For those of you affected by language requiring compliance within 180 days from the effective date of the rules, that date is January 11, 2020. Minnesota Gambling Laws Within the state of Minnesota, Gambling is defined as the purposeful risking of any or all assets, property or monies with the intention of gain; a primary stipulation exists that expressed that the individual retains no control of peripheral outcome(s) with regard to any wagers set forth.

Minnesota casinos have since expanded. Blackjack and electronic table games are allowed at Native American casinos on reservation land. Card club licenses were created to permit Canterbury Park to reopen its shuttered track and fund it with revenue from poker and card games banked by the house. Running Aces later obtained the same license.

Paying Gambling Taxes in Minnesota

Did you know your gambling winnings are subject to federal income tax? OnlineUnitedStatesCasinos has gathered everything you need to know about paying taxes. Find out how to report your gambling income with our detailed Gambling Taxes Guide.

Minnesota Casinos Map & Guide

• Canterbury Park
• Running Aces
• Treasure Island
• Mystic Park
• Grand Casino

• Number of B&M Casinos: 23
• Number of Poker Rooms: 11
• Number of Indian Casinos: 21

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Types of Minnesota Online Gambling Allowed

The only form of legal Minnesota online gambling is off-track betting on horses. Sites like TVG, TwinSpires, and BetAmerica accept players from the state. Races at Running Aces and Canterbury Park may not be wagered on through these websites and mobile apps.

Daily fantasy sports sites consider Minnesota a state where the contests are legal. The state legislature and attorney general have not given any reason to think otherwise. DraftKings, FanDuel, Yahoo!, and CBS Sports are among the sites that accept Minnesota players.

The Minnesota Lottery once sold tickets over the Internet. The state legislature tried twice to force the lottery out of the business of online sales. It was successful the second time.

Types of Live Minnesota Gambling

• Slots: Yes
• Blackjack: Yes
• Poker: Yes
• Craps/Roulette: No
• Horses: Yes
• Lottery: Yes

There are many types of legalized Minnesota gambling. Charities may hold bingo games and raffles. The Minnesota Lottery sells scratch-off and lotto tickets at convenience stores throughout the state.

Canterbury Park and Running Aces have live horse racing. They also have a card club that offers poker, blackjack, Three Card Poker, Pai Gow Poker, baccarat and Ultimate Texas Hold’em. Off-track betting is also available at both of these tracks.

Native American Minnesota casinos may offer slots, video poker, and blackjack. Bars offer video pull-tab games. These mimic slot machines. These were rolled out to help pay for a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings. That has been a disaster as the games are not popular among tavern patrons.

Minnesota Gambling Laws

Minnesota gambling laws carve out many forms of gambling. It allows horse racing and off-track betting. Registered charities may offer games of chance like raffles and bingo. The state lottery may also offer games of chance.

Reservations are the only places in Minnesota where slots and video poker are legal. Tribes must create a compact with the state and pay fees to offer electronic games. Blackjack is permitted at these tribal Minnesota casinos but is exempted from the fee requirements as it is also available at card clubs.

Racetracks are permitted to operate poker rooms. This also includes house-banked games that use cards. Permitted and taxable games include Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Seven-Card Stud, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Three Card Poker, Pai Gow Poker, blackjack, and baccarat. The maximum poker bet is $100. This does not apply to table games. Card clubs get around this rule by offering timed tournaments where each chip equals one dollar. Prizes are awarded dollar-for-dollar on redeemed chips once the timed tournament ends.

Craps and roulette are not permitted in Minnesota. This includes card clubs and Native American casinos in Minnesota.

The Minnesota Lottery may only sell tickets through retailers. The state legislature made it unlawful for lottery tickets to be sold at gas pumps or over the Internet.

The only form of gambling permitted in bars that do not hold a gaming license is electronic pull-tabs. These mimic slot machines but are played on tablets. Proceeds go to charity and funding towards the new stadium that is home to the Minnesota Vikings.

The minimum gambling age in Minnesota is 18 years. Minnesota casinos that serve alcohol may impose a minimum gambling age of 21 years. Many choose to do so, while card clubs do not.

List of Minnesota Casino Locations

Canterbury Park in Shakopee and Running Aces in Forest Park are home to the state’s two racetracks. Each also has a card club that includes a poker room, blackjack, baccarat, Pai Gow Poker, Three Card Poker and Ultimate Texas Hold’em.

There are 21 Indian casinos in Minnesota, with two of them currently under construction. This is where players will find slots, video poker, and blackjack tables. Electronic table games are also spread at some of these venues.

Find the full list of Minnesota casino locations, websites, and other information below. For a detailed guide on how to get to a casino, use our Minnesota casinos map to find the nearest one.

History of Minnesota Gambling

Bingo was the first game of chance legalized in Minnesota; that came in 1945. Only charities may spread bingo games. This was expanded to raffles, paddlewheels and tip boards in 1978. Pull-tabs were added in 1981.

A constitutional amendment to create a legalized horse racing industry was approved in 1982. The framework was added a year later. Off-track betting was legalized in 1989 but ruled unconstitutional in 1992. A constitutional amendment was passed in 1994 to address this but voters rejected it.

There are two tracks today in Minnesota. Canterbury Park has seen many financial problems throughout the years. The loss of simulcast betting saw the track close in 1993. It later reopened and was eventually saved by the addition of a card club, as permitted by the state legislature. Running Aces later entered this same license category. Attempts to permit slots and video poker at Minnesota racetracks have repeatedly failed.

On July 1, 2011, Canterbury Park and Running Aces were forced to temporarily cease operations. This was not due to any action of the businesses. The state legislature and governor failed to agree on a budget. This forced a government shutdown that closed the state’s gaming commission. This was resolved on July 20, 2011, and the tracks and card clubs reopened.

Seven Native American casinos gained approval by the state to operate slot games and video poker in 1989. This was one year after the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act was passed by Congress. Blackjack was added in 1991 to the list of approved games.

The Minnesota Vikings received approval for a new stadium in 2012. One of the ways this was to be funded was by electronic pull-tabs in bars. These devices are tablets that offer games that resemble slot machines. While a small percentage of the proceeds go to charity, it was expected to raise $35 million for the stadium. The games failed miserably and did not generate any funds for the stadium. The state was forced to look elsewhere for tax money to pay for the Minnesota Vikings’ stadium.

This was a controversial project for many reasons. One is that the NFL keeps a distance from gambling. Existing gaming companies were not happy with the competition, even though it turned out not to be any threat to other forms of legalized gambling. Conservatives did not want gambling to expand to bars. The games still exist, even with the complete lack of popularity.

Minnesota Casinos & Gambling FAQ

Yes. There are two tracks in the Twin Cities metropolitan areas; Canterbury Park and Running Aces.

Yes. Running Aces and Canterbury Park offer race books. Apps like TVG, TwinSpires and BetAmerica also offer this action.

Slots, video poker, blackjack and electronic table games are found at Minnesota tribal casinos.

Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Seven-Card Stud, blackjack, baccarat, Pai Gow Poker, Three Card Poker and Ultimate Texas Hold’em are spread by Minnesota card clubs.

The minimum Minnesota gamble age is 18 years, but some casinos that serve alcohol restrict patrons under 21 years.

The Minnesota Legislature banned online lottery sales in 2015.

Bingo, pull-tabs, raffles, paddlewheels and tip boards are permitted games for charities.

Yes. The sites claim exemption under skill game laws.

DraftKings, FanDuel, CBS Sports and Yahoo! are the major daily fantasy sports providers that accept players from Minnesota.

Federal Internet Gambling Laws

Internet gambling violates provisions of federal law under 18 U.S.C. § 1084. This section prohibits the foreign or interstate transmission of bets or wagers or information on bets or wagers by use of a wire communication. For example, operating an off-shore sports betting operation that utilizes the telephone system within the United States is illegal, United States v. Blair, 54 F.3d 639 (10th Cir. 1995). As Internet transmissions are conducted over telephone lines, this is a potential area of liability for gambling service providers.

Minnesota Internet Gambling Laws

Internet gambling services are also illegal in Minnesota. Such activities include sporting events, lottery tickets, and simulated casino games. Generally, it is unlawful in Minnesota to sell or transfer a chance to participate in a lottery, Minn. Stat. § 609.755(2). Sports bookmaking is defined as “the activity of intentionally receiving, recording or forwarding within any 30-day period more than five bets, or offers to bet, that total more than $2,500 on any one or more sporting events,” Minn. Stat. § 609.75, Subd. 7.

Engaging in sports bookmaking is a felony. Finally, intentionally receiving, recording, or forwarding bets or offers to bet in lesser amounts is a gross misdemeanor, Minn. Stat. § 609.76, Subd. 1(7).

Legal Gambling Age In Minnesota

MN Court of Appeals on Internet Gambling

The Minnesota Court of Appeals upheld jurisdiction against an out of state Internet gambling service provider in State of Minnesota v. Granite Gate Resorts, Inc., 568N.W.2d 715 (Minn. Ct. App. 1997). The Court found that because the provider had advertised on the Internet on-line gambling services and had developed from the Internet a mailing list that included one or more Minnesota residents, the provider had purposefully availed itself of the privilege of conducting commercial activities in Minnesota to an extent that maintenance of an action in Minnesota did not offend traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice. Therefore, the provider was subject to personal jurisdiction in Minnesota.

Legal Gambling Age Minnesota

Individual Bettor Liability

There is also a potential for individual bettor liability in Minnesota. In Minnesota it is unlawful to make a bet through Internet gambling organizations. Minnesota law makes it a misdemeanor to place a bet unless done pursuant to an exempted, state-regulated activity, such as licensed charitable gambling or the state lottery, Minn. Stat. §§ 609.75, Subd. 2 -3; 609.755(1). As Internet gambling organizations are not exempted, any person in Minnesota who places a bet through one of these organizations may be committing a crime. Further, Minnesota law provides for forfeiture provisions related to unlawful gambling activity. It is the Minnesota Attorney General’s position that a computer that is used to play a game of chance for something of value would be subject to forfeiture under Minnesota law. For the Minnesota Attorney General’s position on the legality of gambling, see http://www.jmls.edu/cyber/ docs/minn-ag.html.

Michigan Legal Gambling Age