This story was originally published on Minnesota Reformer. [1]
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Walz signals support for tighter regulations of electronic pull tabs, siding with tribes
By:   ['Ricardo Lopez Is The Senior Political Reporter For The Reformer. Ricardo Is Not New To Minnesota Politics', 'Previously Reporting On The Dayton Administration', 'Statehouse For The Star Tribune To', 'The Republican National Convention In Previously', "He Was A Staff Writer At The Los Angeles Times Covering The California Economy. He'S A Las Vegas Native Who Has Adopted Minnesota As His Home State. In His Spare Time", 'He Likes To Run', 'Cook', 'Volunteer With Save-A-Bull', 'A Minneapolis Dog Rescue Group.', 'Ricardo Lopez']
Date: None

Gov. Tim Walz on Monday signaled support for tighter regulations of electronic pull tabs in bars, potentially dealing a blow to bars and charities that have come to rely on the games for revenue.

A fierce debate has emerged at the State Capitol over the future of legal gambling with tens of millions of dollars at stake. Tribes in Minnesota, which control slot machine gambling, are pushing for closer regulation of electronic pull tabs, which have exploded in popularity in recent years at bars across the state.

Under a 2012 agreement with the tribes, e-pull tabs were authorized to help finance the construction of the new Vikings stadium, but the games could not “mimic a video slot machine.”

Last year, a state administrative law judge ruled against the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, which operates Mystic Lake Casino, saying that electronic pull tabs offered in bars by charitable organizations did not infringe on the exclusive rights of Indian tribes to operate video slot machines.

“The original intent was not to have electronic pull tabs look like other gaming devices,” Walz said. “We have a responsibility to our Indigenous nations who, in good faith, negotiated around those issues of pull tabs… We need to honor the spirit and the letter of how those were originally created.”

Under a House bill sponsored by state Rep. Zack Stephenson, DFL-Coon Rapids, the definition of electronic pull-tabs would be altered to prohibit certain forms of gambling.

The potential impact on charities and bars that have enjoyed the use of electronic pull tabs since 2012 is estimated to be vast.

A Legislative Budget Office report forecasts that bars could lose more than $29 million annually in revenue if the legislation is approved; distributors of electronic games would lose revenue of nearly $13 million annually; and revenue generated by charitable lawful gambling would drop $33 million annually.

Last week, some GOP lawmakers stood with bar owners calling for electronic pull tabs to be allowed to continue.

Bar owners and a handful of GOP lawmakers on Wednesday called for Senate Republicans to block the House bill from becoming part of the final state government budget bill. Senate and House lawmakers are currently working to bridge differences between their respective bills.

“When I think about how this legislation was kind of shoved in after deadlines and the impact that it’s going to have statewide once again on these charitable organizations, it’s mind-boggling how we could not follow the process,” said Rep. Keith Franke, R-St. Paul Park.

Franke, who owns a bar where e-pull tabs are played, said all the revenue from charitable gambling goes directly back into the community.

[1] Url: https://minnesotareformer.com/briefs/walz-signals-support-for-tighter-regulations-of-electronic-pull-tabs-siding-with-tribes/