Minnesota’s gambling status progresses slower than most states. All the land-based casinos are built on Indian reservations, and commercial casinos are not permitted, giving the 11 federally recognized tribes almost a monopoly.
Nearly 20 tribal casinos, two race tracks, peri-mutual betting, and a state lottery sum up the legal gambling activities. Gamblers in the state can also participate in non-banked card and pull tab games but do not have any legal access to real money online gambling.
Top Guide to Minnesota Online Casinos
Online gambling might be illegal in Minnesota, but offshore online casinos ignore these laws and provide gambling opportunities anyway. In our guide to online casinos in Minnesota, we’ll walk you through what’s legal, how to play online, and the types of casinos to avoid.
While access to the best online casinos in America would be incredible for players in Minnesota, playing at unregulated casinos is undoubtedly not worth the risk and unfair gambling conditions.
Are Online Casinos Legal in Minnesota?
No, online casinos are not regulated by any authority or association in Minnesota.
No form of real money online gambling is permitted in Minnesota, including online casinos and sports betting. In 2023, a proposal for new legislation to permit online sports betting received much support but fell through once again. However, experts predict that Minnesota could legalize online betting in 2024.
Minnesota’s sweepstakes and social online casinos are legal as they do not provide real money gameplay. Instead, these sites provide access to top-rated casino games, including slots, table games, and live dealer games, with the opportunity to win and redeem sweepstakes for real money prizes.
What is Legal in Minnesota Casinos?
Individual gaming authorities regulate land-based Tribal casinos, while the Minnesota Gambling Control Board regulates the charitable gambling market, including Bingo, raffles, pull tabs, and paddlewheels.
The broad range of tribal casinos provide access to various gaming platforms, ranging from slots to table games. While some of the 19 casino properties are relatively small, with a few hundred slots and some tables, others, such as Treasure Island and Mystic Lake, match the impressive size of casinos in Las Vegas.
When will Minnesota Legalize Online Casinos?
Minnesota is not close to any state with legal online casinos other than Michigan, which places lawmakers and tribal casinos under no pressure to make drastic changes.
While multiple other states have legalized online casinos, and even more with online sports betting, the fact that Minnesota chooses not to legalize any form of online gambling indicates that online casinos are still far away.
Once Minnesota online casinos are legalized, sites will carry the state license logo, representing a trusted site that’s regulated and secure. Illegal online casinos operate offshore to avoid these laws and can, therefore, provide gaming services with sub-par security and unfair games, and are under no pressure to process your withdrawals as they do not operate according to any laws in the US.
Brief Gambling History in Minnesota
The first form of legal gambling in Minnesota was bingo, which kicked off in 1945.
It wasn’t until the ’80s when things got started after pari-mutuel betting and tribal casinos were both legalized in the state. Canterbury Downs opened the first pari-mutuel venue in 1985 and remains one of MN’s few horse tracks in business.
Native American tribal casinos began operating in 1981 after the US Court of Appeal allowed them to offer bingo games and were later permitted to offer video gaming machines, which saw more and more venues being built.
In 1989, the state had signed compacts with seven tribes, and a couple of years later, Indian casinos were allowed to offer table games. By 1993, 17 tribal casinos were operating off state soil, raking an estimated $5 billion in wagers.
Since the tribes were operating on their own land, the casinos did not have to pay the state of Minnesota taxes. This was brought up by MN in the early 2000s, however, the tribes refused to pay any taxes and stick to that decision to this day.
Instead, the majority of the money goes towards construction on the tribe’s land, with some given to the state.
Best Sweepstake Casinos in Minnesota
Sweepstake casinos in Minnesota are legal and provide access to the best online casino games. Play with “fun money” and earn sweepstakes in various ways to redeem real money cash prizes. Sweepstake casinos are legal in Minnesota, as you don’t wager real money on games.
| Sweepstake Casinos in MN | No Deposit Bonus |
|---|---|
| Stake.us | 250,000 Game Coins + $25 Sweepstakes (Bonus Code: ACG) |
| WOW Vegas | 5,000 Wow Coins |
| FunRize Casino | 75,000 Coins + 50,000 Verification Bonus |
| Gambino Slots | 100,000 Game Coins + 200 Free Spins |
| High 5 Casino | 250 Game Coins, 600 Diamonds, 5 Sweepstakes |
In which States are Online Casinos Legal?
Surprisingly, Minnesota and many other states have not become friendlier towards online casinos, considering New Jersey was the first to provide legal online casinos in 2013. Since then, six other states also legalized online casinos, offering brilliant gaming features and bonuses from the best US online casinos.
Closest State with Legal Online Casinos to Minnesota
Michigan is the closest state to Minnesota with legal online casinos, roughly a 12-hour drive or a 5-hour flight. Michigan has some of the most impressive online casinos in the US, including top-rated brands such as BetMGM, Caesars Palace Online Casino, Golden Nugget, and more.
Land-based Casinos in Minnesota
All Minnesota casinos are located on Indian reservations, and under a compact reached with the state, the only table games permitted are card games such as Blackjack and Poker.
Additionally, the only kind of slot machine allowed at casinos in Minnesota is the electronic video variety, meaning you will not find mechanical slots with traditional reels – only video screens.
Optional games include Poker, Caribbean Stud Poker, Pai Gow Poker, Three-card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold ’em, Mississippi Stud, Let it Ride, and Bingo.
There are no casinos in Minneapolis. However, there are two casinos near Minneapolis. About 25 miles southwest is Mystic Lake Casino, the largest casino in Minnesota. The other is the Little Six Casino, affiliated with Mystic Lake and within a one-mile drive from that casino.
Minnesota Online Casinos Won’t be Arriving Soon
The control over gambling held by the tribes in Minnesota makes it challenging for online casinos to become available. Furthermore, the state seems somewhat against the entire online gambling platform, having not permitted online betting or any other form as many states have.
Minnesota also has no pressure to legalize online casinos, as no surrounding states currently provide online games. However, we could see quite a bit of change in pace as more states legalize online casinos, especially if it’s one of Minnesota’s neighbors.