Minnesota lawmakers target online sweepstakes casinos

Minnesota lawmakers are moving a bipartisan bill that would effectively ban online 'sweepstakes casinos' that mimic slots and table games while skirting the state’s gambling laws, a change that would hit Twin Cities users and at least one Minnesota‑run operator. The measure, which has cleared committees in both the House and Senate, is backed by the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association, which calls the sites unregulated and illegal platforms that advertise in the state and pay out cash winnings through a two‑currency system. Sen. Jordan Rasmusson says the bill is aimed at closing a loophole that is 'effectively allowing online gambling' while still preserving traditional promotional sweepstakes used in marketing. Opposing the bill, ARB Interactive CEO Patrick Fechtmeyer — a Minnesota native whose company employs more than 200 tech workers — warns that an outright ban will simply push Minnesotans to some 1,100 offshore operators with even fewer consumer protections. For metro residents, the fight will determine whether online casino‑style play remains accessible at all inside Minnesota’s borders or is driven deeper into the shadows while the state continues to rely on tribal casinos, pulltabs and the lottery for legal gambling.