Minnesota

Minnesota Online Gambling & Sportsbooks in 2022

As of 2022, neither online sports betting nor online casino gambling are legal in Minnesota – however, there has been a lot of interest over the past couple of years to see change. A disagreement led to a delay in 2022, but residents could find access to online betting platforms in the near future.

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Best New Casinos in Minnesota

Players in Minnesota can choose between several tribal casinos to play slot machines, video poker, blackjack, baccarat, etc.  However, this can be unrealistic for the average player who just wants to have a few rounds of fun and would much rather just gamble online.

Our online cryptocurrency casinos below accept players from Minnesota who deposit and withdraw US dollars and Bitcoins. US$ deposits are frequently accepted using a credit card. Conversely, US$ cashouts are often available via a couriered check, bank wire transfer, or other.

Bitcoin (or altcoin) transactions using a cryptocurrency wallet are an alternative preferred by many Americans. Regardless, withdrawal requests can be processed fast, and cashout limits are typically higher than average. Plus it’s a convenient way to play online casino games.

Americans, including Minnesotans, might qualify for other perks like Comp Points, VIP loyalty programs, and other promotions (reload bonuses, poker room buy-ins, free spins, cashback, etc.).

Some online casinos offer a signup bonus, but all the best new casinos in Minnesota offer a welcome package of a match deposit bonus and (often) free spins. Online slot machines and casino games include leading providers like Realtime Gaming, Bodog, Rival Gaming, etc. Try them for free or for real money.

You can find a review for each casino explaining just why you’ll want to try legal online gambling there. This will help you pick an online gambling site that suits you.

Best Bonuses in Minnesota Casinos

The best bonuses in Minnesota casinos, like the ones below, offer higher bonus money limits for gambling online compared to bonuses elsewhere. These can take the shape of a signup bonus that you can claim just by registering for online gaming.

When you’re ready for the first deposit or sometimes the first few deposits of dollars or Bitcoins, you may claim a match deposit or free spins.

These casinos have fair playthrough bonus T&Cs and playthrough wagering requirements. This means you have a better chance to come away from the casino or online poker room with some money that can be withdrawn or used to continue playing.

Minnesota Gambling Overview

Gambling in Minnesota dates back to before written history, enjoyed by different native tribes. In the 1800s, Mississippi had riverboat gamblers and gamblers among the soldiers and railroad workers. Their favorites included roulette, dice, and poker games.

The Minnesota constitution of 1857 threatened to put a stop to this due to the widespread corruption of gambling. Regardless, gambling and gambling houses continued with thousands of slot machines scattered throughout the state.

Sports betting, as well as Internet gambling or online poker, is illegal in Minnesota. Some games are permitted at liquor establishments, provided they do not organize or financially benefit directly.

Class III tribal gaming is allowed, as are charitable gaming and pari-mutuel horse betting. A state lottery is also authorized.

Lottery

The Minnesota State Lottery has been around for over three decades, debuting in April 1990. It began by offering instant scratch tickets and lottery state draws, and multistate draws, including Powerball. By 2020, it offered 48 games. Tickets are sold from over 3,100 authorized retailers, such as convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery stores.

Charitable Gaming

Charitable gambling by registered nonprofit organizations is regulated by the Minnesota Gambling Control Board. Lawful gambling includes bingo, pull tabs, tip boards, paddlewheels, and raffles. Qualifying nonprofits include religious, veterans, fraternal, among other nonprofits.

Pari-Mutuel Racing

Pari-mutuel racing falls under the control of the Minnesota Racing Commission. Minnesota’s pari-mutuel racing is available at two tracks, including Canterbury Park in Shakopee and Running Aces in Columbus. Simulcast racing is also permitted from the tracks.

Since the mid-80s, horseracing and wagering on horse racing had seen a decline similar to other states. In part, this led to legislation to allow card clubs to offer different forms of baccarat, blackjack, and poker, which has turned the tide. Advanced deposit wagering is also permitted but on out-of-state races only.

Fantasy Contests

Fantasy sports are popular in Minnesota and are tolerated despite not being formally legalized and regulated. Operators like DraftKings and FanDuel already accept players from the state.

The argument for why it should be legalized is that it is skilled-based rather than chance-based. Still, attempts to legalize it in 2018 failed. If Daily Fantasy sports can’t land, then you do have to wonder about the hopes for actual online sports betting.

Land-Based Casinos

There are no state or commercial casinos in Minnesota. However, it has 11 federally recognized tribal nations, 4 Dakota tribes, and 7 Ojibwe/Chippewa. Minnesota tribes were the first to sign and negotiate tribal compacts in the United States. This allows them to run Class III casinos.

Minnesota Tribal casinos offer 100s or 1,000s of slot machines, video poker, bingo, pull tabs, and table games: blackjack, Three Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold ’em, baccarat, Mississippi Stud, Seven Card Stud, Omaha Hi-Lo, and Pai Gow Poker.

Tribal Casinos	Address	Website
Black Bear Casino Resort	1785 Highway 210 -Carlton, MN 55718-0777	blackbearcasinoresort.com
Fond-du-luth Casino	129 East Superior  -Street Duluth, MN 55802	fondduluthcasino.com
Fortune Bay Resort Casino	1430 Bois Forte Rd -Tower, MN 55790	fortunebay.com
Grand Casino Hinckley	777 Lady Luck Drive – Hinckley, MN 55037	grandcasinomn.com
Grand Casino Mille Lacs	777 Grand Avenue -Onamia, MN 56359	grandcasinomn.com
Grand Portage Lodge & Casino	70 Casino Dr. Grand – Portage, MN 55605	grandportage.com
Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel	39375 County Highway 24 – Morton, MN 56270	jackpotjunction.com
Little Six Casino	2450 Sioux Trl NW – Prior Lake, MN 55372	littlesixcasino.com
Mystic Lake Casino Hotel	2400 Mystic Lake Blvd. – Prior Lake, MN 55372	mysticlake.com
Northern Lights Casino	6800 Y Frontage Road NW – Walker, MN 56484	northernlightscasino.com
Cedar Lakes Casino Hotel	6268 Upper Cass Frontage Road NW -Cass Lake, MN 56633​	cedarlakescasino.com
Prairie’s Edge Casino Resort	5616 Prairie’s Edge Lane – Granite Falls, MN 56241	prairiesedgecasino.com
Seven Clans Casino Red Lake	10200 Highway 89 – Red Lake, MN 56671	sevenclanscasino.com
Seven Clans Casino Thief River Falls	20595 Center Street East – Thief River Falls, MN 56701	sevenclanscasino.com
Seven Clans Casino Warroad	34966 605th Ave –Warroad, MN 56763	sevenclanscasino.com
Shooting Star Casino	777 Casino Road -Mahnomen, MN 56557	starcasino.com
Shooting Star Casino – Bagley	13325 340th Street – Bagley, MN 56621	starcasino.com
Treasure Island Resort & Casino	5734 Sturgeon Lake Road – Welch, MN 55089	ticasino.com
White Oak Casino	45830 US-2 – Deer River, MN 56636	whiteoakcasino.com

 

Racetrack Casinos	Address	Website
Running Aces Harness Park	15201 Running Aces Blvd – Columbus, MN 55025	runaces.com
Canterbury Park	1100 Canterbury Road South, – Shakopee, MN 55379	canterburypark.com

Minnesota Casinos Map

 

 

Minnesota Gambling History

In 1945 bingo for charitable purposes was legalized by the Minnesota Legislature. This was followed by paddlewheels, tip boards, and raffles in 1978 and pull tabs in 1981. During the 80s, Minnesota witnessed the rise of native-run bingo halls, and by 1987 there were over a dozen.

After a constitutional amendment in 1982 to allow pari-mutuel racing, The Minnesota racing commission was established in 1983 through legislation. The state saw its first track, Canterbury Downs, opened in 1985.

A proposal to allow off-track horse betting and races failed to gather the necessary support in 1994. However, five years later, in 1999, card clubs at licensed horse racing tracks were authorized. In 2016, advanced deposit wagering (ADW) was authorized through legislation.

Between 1989-1991, Minnesota negotiated 22 tribal compacts with 11 Native American tribes following the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) in 1988.

Bills to amend the constitution to allow a Minnesota lottery first appeared in 1972 and again in 1986 but was narrowly defeated. The Minnesota Lottery was approved in 1988 through a referendum to amend the state’s constitution with legislation appearing the following year.

The state lottery’s history is not all positive, with several top executives removed from their positions for mismanagement during the 2010s. Among other things, the lottery was plagued by higher costs relative to other state lotteries. In 2004, George R. Anderson, a director since 1980, committed suicide by overdose before a pending damning report was released.

A Bill to legalize daily fantasy sports failed to pass in the House in April 2018. Similarly, in 2019 a Bill to introduce online sports betting died after failing to get a hearing the prior year. In 2020 the online betting bill was reintroduced but got derailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sports betting concerns have been raised by the state’s tribal bands about the impact on their casino monopoly. Despite the challenges, it’s expected that there will be further attempts at legislation going forward.

Whether they can pass and make online gambling legal in the state is a bigger question. Many states have seemed a long way from voting to regulate online gambling, and have then done it overnight. Others which have seemed a shoo-in to do so have failed with bills time and again.

Minnesota Gambling FAQ

Does Minnesota law allow pari-mutuel betting?

Pari-mutuel betting, including live horse racing and simulcast, are permitted at the state’s commercial racetracks by the Minnesota Gambling Control Board. Advance deposit wagering is also allowed on simulcast races outside of the state.

Does Minnesota have a state lottery?

Yes, the Minnesota State Lottery is authorized to offer scratch games, pull tabs, and state/interstate draws.

What kinds of betting is legal in Minnesota?

Minnesota gambling laws currently permit tribal casinos, pari-mutuel horse betting, charitable gaming, and a state lottery. Fantasy contests though not explicitly legal or regulated, are tolerated. There is, however, no regulated online gambling in Minnesota. That includes legal sports betting and online poker rooms.

Is online gambling legal in Minnesota?

No, online gambling is not legal in Minnesota. This includes online sports betting and online casinos. Although not formally legalized, fantasy sports betting is available through sites like FanDuel and DraftKings. The possibility of Minnesota online gambling sites some time in the future is not completely remote, but equally it’s not going to happen overnight.

Are land-based casinos legal in Minnesota?

Yes, the state has 19 Class III casinos offering slots, table games, and video poker. There are also two racetrack casinos offering table games. But if you want to try playing casino games online, you’ll need to go with offshore gambling sites at least for now.

What is the legal gambling age in Minnesota?

The legal gambling age in Minnesota is 18 years and older, covering tribal casinos, charitable gaming, the state lottery, and pari-mutuel betting. In many states which do permit free bet blackjack and other online casino gambling, the age limit is set at 21+, and it’s likely MN gambling sites would do likewise if they do pass a sports betting bill or allow online poker games in the future.

Conclusion

Although gambling options in Minnesota are somewhat restrictive, it still has some ways to go. For example, the Minnesota Legislature introduced a bill to authorize and regulate sports betting as recently as 2021, and it did not progress, meaning Minnesota online casino options are as distant as they have ever been for now.

Surprisingly, the state has not moved to authorize and regulate fantasy sports contests. This is even though DFS is tolerated in Minnesota. Gambling laws in the United States are in constant motion, which is why we invite you to revisit our Minnesota page for updates.

In the meantime, some Minnesotans have chosen to play at offshore online casinos. If you think you might be interested also, our experts recommend some of the top Minnesota online casinos.