- Bingo (1945), Horseracing (1983), Lottery (1988), Casinos (1989), Card Clubs (1999)
- $100 million
- $700 million
- 18, although some casinos limit action to 21+
- Smoking is banned in card clubs. It does not apply to tribal casinos.
- 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 & Poker Laws Summarized Type/Code Summary State Code Section(s) 349-350; 609.75-763 Definitions Lawful gambling: Not A broad review of Minnesota's gambling laws and poker laws. Includes legal online poker sites in Minnesota, state codes, gambling facts and more. After a long day of gambling and golf, you can relax in one of the hundreds of luxurious hotel rooms that are available at this popular Minnesota casino, which boasts affordable rates throughout the year. Be sure to continue reading below to learn more about the one and only Grand Casino – Hinckley.
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.
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
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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.
Casino | Size | Address | Website |
---|---|---|---|
Black Bear Casino – Carlton | 2,000 Slot Machines | 1785 Highway 210 | www.blackbearcasinoresort.com |
Fond-du-Luth Casino – Duluth | 750 Slot Machines | 129 East Superior St. | www.fondduluthcasino.com |
Fortune Bay Casino – Tower | 800 Slot Machines | 1430 Bois Forte Rd. | www.fortunebay.com |
Grand Casino – Hinckley | 2,100 Slot Machines | 777 Lady Luck Dr. | www.grandcasinomn.com |
Grand Casino Mille Lacs – Onamia | 1,900 Slot Machines | 777 Grand Ave. | www.grandcasinomn.com |
Grand Portage Casino | 400 Slot Machines | 80 Casino Dr. | www.grandportage.com |
Firefly Creek Bingo – Granite Falls | 472 Slot Machines | 2511 565th St. | www.uppersiouxcommunity-nsn.gov |
Jackpot Junction Casino – Morton | 1,250 Slot Machines | 39375 County Hwy 24 | www.jackpotjunction.com |
Little Six Casino – Prior Lake | 800 Slot Machines | 2450 Sioux Trail N.W. | www.littlesixcasino.com |
Mystic Lake Casino – Prior Lake | 4,000 Slot Machines | 2400 Mystic Lake Blvd. | www.mysticlake.com |
Northern Lights Casino – Walker | 924 Slot Machines | 680 Y Frontage Rd. N.W. | www.northernlightscasino.com |
Palace Casino – Cass Lake | 500 Slot Machines | 6280 Upper Cass Frontage Rd. N.W. | www.palacecasinohotel.com |
Prairie’s Edge Casino – Granite Falls | 1,000 Slot Machines | 5616 Prairie’s Edge Ln. | www.prairiesedgecasino.com |
Seven Clans Casino – Red Lake | 315 Slot Machines | 10200 Highway 89 | www.sevenclanscasino.com |
Seven Clans Casino – Thief River Falls | 750 Slot Machines | 20595 Center Street E. | www.sevenclanscasino.com |
Seven Clans Casino – Warroad | 480 Slot Machines | 1012 East Lake St. | www.sevenclanscasino.com |
Shooting Star Casino – Mahnomen | 1,000 Slot Machines | 777 Casino Rd. | www.starcasino.com |
Shooting Star Casino – Bagley | Opens in 2016 | County Highway 27 | www.starcasino.com |
Shooting Star Casino – Star Lake | Opens in 2017 | County Road 41 | www.starcasino.com |
Treasure Island Casino – Welch | 2,400 Slot Machines | 5734 Sturgeon Lake Rd. | www.ticasino.com |
White Oak Casino – Deer River | 300 Slot Machines | 45830 US Highway 2 | www.whiteoakcasino.com |
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.
Tribal Casinos Start Operating
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
Is horse racing legal in Minnesota?
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.
What games are spread by Canterbury and Running Aces?
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.
Does the Minnesota Lottery sell tickets over the Internet?
The Minnesota Legislature banned online lottery sales in 2015.
What types of games may charities operate in Minnesota?
Bingo, pull-tabs, raffles, paddlewheels and tip boards are permitted games for charities.
Are daily fantasy sports sites legal in Minnesota?
Yes. The sites claim exemption under skill game laws.
What daily fantasy sites accept players from Minnesota?
DraftKings, FanDuel, CBS Sports and Yahoo! are the major daily fantasy sports providers that accept players from Minnesota.
By
Last Updated November 17, 2018
There’s more to say than you might think about online poker in Minnesota. In fact, there’s a good deal to say about Minnesota and gambling in general.
We won’t be covering every aspect of betting and wagering in the Gopher State, but we will be giving you the heads-up on the history, the law and the future in this Guide to Minnesota and Online Poker.
If you’re a poker player looking for some online action, you’ll have little trouble getting it in Minnesota. There aren’t any US-friendly poker sites we are aware of that restrict sign ups from the state, so you shouldn’t encounter any problems finding a poker site accepting Minnesota players.
Type/Code | Summary |
---|---|
State Code Section(s) | 349-350; 609.75-763 |
Definitions | Lawful gambling: Not a lottery or gambling within the meaning of sections 609.75 to 609.76 if it is conducted under this chapter. A pull-tab dispensing device, electronic bingo device, and electronic pull-tab device permitted under this chapter and by board rule is not a gambling device within the meaning of sections 609.75 to 609.76 and chapter 299L. An electronic game device allowed under this chapter may not be a slot machine. Electronic game devices, including but not limited to electronic bingo devices, electronic paddlewheels, electronic pull-tab devices, and electronic raffle selection systems authorized under this chapter, may only be used in the conduct of lawful gambling permitted under this chapter and board rule and may not display or simulate any other form of gambling or entertainment, except as otherwise allowed under this chapter. Video game of chance: A game or device that simulates one or more games commonly referred to as poker, blackjack, craps, hi-lo, roulette, or other common gambling forms, though not offering any type of pecuniary award or gain to players. Social skill game: Sections 609.755 and 609.76 do not prohibit tournaments or contests that satisfy all of the following requirements: (1) the tournament or contest consists of the card games of chance commonly known as cribbage, skat, sheepshead, bridge, euchre, pinochle, gin, 500, smear, Texas hold’em, or whist; (2) the tournament or contest does not provide any direct financial benefit to the promoter or organizer; (3) the value of all prizes awarded for each tournament or contest does not exceed $200; and (4) for a tournament or contest involving Texas hold’em: (i) no person under 18 years of age may participate; (ii) the payment of an entry fee or other consideration for participating is prohibited; (iii) the value of all prizes awarded to an individual winner of a tournament or contest at a single location may not exceed $200 each day; and (iv) the organizer or promoter must ensure that reasonable accommodations are made for players with disabilities. Accommodations to the table and the cards shall include the announcement of the cards visible to the entire table and the use of Braille cards for players who are blind. |
Online Poker/Gambling | Minnesota lawmakers have yet to consider any proposal to legalize online poker or internet casino games. |
Live Poker | There are poker rooms in some of the casinos in Minnesota. |
Casinos | Many of the Native American tribes in Minnesota operate some type of casino. The several racetracks in the state also offer some casino-style games, making them racinos. |
Sports Betting | No bills have yet been introduced to legalize sports betting in Minnesota. |
DFS | A bill to legalize paid-entry fantasy sports contests failed to pass a vote in the Senate. |
Other Forms of Gambling | Recreational card games for seniors, horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering, bingo, charitable gambling, redemption games, lottery. |
Is Online Poker Legal in Minnesota?
What does the law in Minnesota have to say about playing poker online for real money? Like many US states, the law regarding poker played online is complicated in Minnesota, and you should consult a lawyer for a definitive answer to this question. But to help you gain a better basic grasp on the general outlines of Minnesota law as it might apply to online poker, here is a quick list of key aspects of gambling law in the state:
Minnesota effectively outlaws all forms of gambling that aren’t specifically permitted by law. The state accomplishes this with a broad definition of illegal gambling via the charge of “acts of or relating to gambling” (Section 609.755), which makes it a misdemeanor to make “a bet,” to participate in an illegal lottery, to spread information about an illegal lottery, to allow a place under your control to be used as a gambling house or to possess a gambling device.
The definition of “bet,” therefore, is critical to Minnesota gambling law. Section 609.75(2) defines “bet” as “a bargain whereby the parties mutually agree to a gain or loss by one to the other of specified money, property or benefit dependent upon chance although the chance is accompanied by some element of skill.”
The section then further defines what does not constitute a bet, including approved raffles, approved pari-mutuel wagering, private social gambling and state-sold lottery tickets. Poker does not appear on this list (except implicitly under the social gambling exception).
A separate class of gambling-related offenses result in gross misdemeanor charges. Most of the offenses in this section (609.76) are apparently targeted at those operating the illegal activity, but a few could conceivably apply to participants as well – especially the violation of participating “in the income” of a “gambling place.”
Minnesota law prohibits “probability calculating devices” at licensed gaming facilities (Section (609.76). The law is a bit vague, but given that it bans “keeping track of or counting cards used in a game,” it would seem to cover many popular pieces of poker software. However, online poker rooms are not licensed by the state of Minnesota, so players don’t have to worry about this odd part of the state’s gambling law.
To learn more about Minnesota law and how it might apply to playing poker online for real money, access the full Minnesota statutes below.
Will Minnesota Regulate Online Poker?
In our opinion, Minnesota does have a better chance than the typical US state of having state-regulated online poker in the next few years. The state had taken a relatively liberal attitude toward gambling expansion in the last decade, and a nationwide trend of regulating online poker could easily generate sufficient momentum to pull Minnesota along in its wake.
Minnesota Gambling Facts
As the State Lottery of Minnesota tells it, gambling has been a part of Minnesota basically since there was such a thing called Minnesota. Both native cultures and settlers left ample evidence of gambling games in records and other cultural artifacts. Along with that history goes a tradition of strong anti-gambling laws in the state, which broadly outlawed gambling in 1850 and then enshrined a similar stance in the Minnesota Constitution in 1857. Minnesota gamblers went indoors and underground for the better part of the next 100 years until the pendulum swung back in favor of regulated gambling in the state during the middle of the 1900s.
What Regulated Gambling Options are in Minnesota?
The only form of regulated gambling you won’t find in Minnesota: Commercial casinos (although the state’s racetracks are working diligently to change that). Minnesota has a state lottery, pari-mutuel wagering at the aforementioned racetracks, a very substantial charitable gambling industry and a host of tribal gambling facilities which also offer mobile gambling. Minnesota racetracks may also offer table games like poker and blackjack.
Is Online Gambling Regulated by the Minnesota Government?
Not in the traditional sense, but the state took a large step in the direction of regulating Internet gambling when it issued final approval for electronic pull-tab machines [3] in September of 2012. The games can be played remotely using a tablet (at approved locations) and in many ways resemble a slot machine.
All Poker and Gambling Laws by State
Minnesota charitable gaming operators are asking the state legislature for tax breaks. Some of those charitable organizations say they pay more in taxes each year than they pay towards good works. For instance, the Duluth charitable gambling foundation, Irving Community Association, said it pays more than double in taxes than
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Continuing Your Minnesota Gambling Research
Minnesota Legislative Reference Library . An excellent place to begin research concerning the evolution of gambling law in Minnesota. Contains a timeline (with links) of all relevant legislation and an extensive list of related reports, papers and books on the subject.
Michigan Legal Gambling Age
Minnesota Gambling Control Board. Home for the applications, paperwork, regulatory and financial information related to regulated charitable gambling in the state of Minnesota. If you have questions about what’s legal and how to ensure compliance, the GCB site should be your first stop.
Minnesota Indian Gaming Association Get a tribal perspective on Minnesota gambling with resources from this trade group for Minnesota tribes involved in the industry. Easy way to get an overview of the different tribes, their position on issues and key facts and figures regarding tribal gambling in Minnesota.
Minnesota’s Place in Poker History
Oklahoma Legal Gambling Age
While not home to many legends of the game, Minnesota maintains frequent links to poker. One example is Minnesotan John Morgan, a man involved in what may end up being among the most famous poker hands ever. The hand took place during the 2012 $1m buy in Big One for One Drop at the World Series of Poker. Morgan fired a massive river bet in a huge pot against opponent Mikhail Smirnov, and Smirnov – to the shock of onlookers at the Rio and around the world – folded his quad eights face-up on the table. Only one hand – a possible straight flush – beat Smirnov, but Morgan has yet to reveal the cards he was holding.
While not a native of Minnesota, WSOP champion and modern-day poker legend Greg Raymer is said to have picked up the game while attending law school at the University of Minnesota.