The below information was sent to me from Representative Dettmer’s office. Posts with gambling need to voice their concerns over this bill….
ELECTRONIC GAMING GROUP
2113 102nd Ave NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55433
Tracy@EGGMN.com 763-656-3667
Tribes Move Bill to Eliminate Charity Funding Source
IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED
HF2366/SF1863
• WHAT: On April 13, 2021 the Minnesota House Commerce, Finance and Policy Committee passed HF2366 (Bill Author,
Rep. Stephenson, D). The companion SF1863 is awaiting action (Bill Author, Sen. Tom Bakk, I).
• HF2366/SF1863 would eliminate all current electronic pull tab and linked bingo games currently approved by the Gambling Control Board.
• HF2366/SF1863 would eliminate $1.7 billion dollars of annual electronic game sales by Minnesota Charities at local bars, Veteran’s organizations, civic clubs, and youth organizations having a drastic impact on available charity revenues.
• WHO IS BACKING THIS BILL: MIGA, the Minnesota Indian Gaming Authority and all of the member Casino Tribes.
• In testimony on April 13, 2021, the bill sponsor, Rep Stephenson stated that this bill, which would eliminate millions of dollars from charitable gaming and local communities, corrects a “broken promise” between the State and the Tribes. In fact, it is the Tribes who are breaking the promise they made with Minnesota charities and bars.
• FALSE – IPADS ARE SLOT MACHINES: MIGA compared iPads in bars and veteran’s clubs to slot machines in casinos when they agreed to those type devices in the “deal” with the charities. In the Compacts that were signed by the individual tribes and State of Minnesota, a slot machine is defined as an “electromechanical device that accepts coins or bills”. Does this definition apply to your iPads? NO!
• Compacts signed by the State and Tribe are unique in the USA. No state revenue share is required on Class III gambling sales. Compare this to the excessive tax rates (State, sales tax, local tax) charged to charities….and, there is no term on the Compact – they last forever with no renegotiation.
• FALSE – THE GAMBLING CONTROL BOARD IMPROPERLY EXPANDED THE GAMES THAT ARE PLAYED IN BARS. MIGA sued the GCB twice on this matter and they lost twice. The GCB has only approved games that are consistent with the Statute and Rules. If the Tribes are so sure of their argument, why didn’t the Tribes exhaust all their legal remedies instead of running back to the Capitol?
• TRUE – THIS BILL WILL CAUSE INCALCULABLE HARM TO CHARITIES AND LOCAL BUSINESSES. According to a Preliminary Fiscal Note prepared by the State of Minnesota analyzing the impact this bill will have: “All existing pull tab and linked bingo games will be prohibited under the proposed language. Therefore, all revenue ($1.680 billion) will be eliminated on those games.”
• TRUE – DID THE GOVERNOR APPOINT A TRIBAL MEMBER TO THE GAMBLING CONTROL BOARD: On April 6, 2021 Governor Walz announced the appointment of Karen Diver to fill a vacancy on the Board. Ms. Diver is the former Chairwoman of the Fon du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. Does this present a conflict-of-interest as a member of a Tribe that is a major charitable gambling?
