Online Casinos in Minnesota

The 12th largest and the 22nd most populous U.S. state, Minnesota has a higher than average income per capita, but that makes it no friendlier to gambling, especially online games of chance. Long story short, gambling in Minnesota can be reduced to the following two points:

• Online gambling and sports betting are forbidden, though there are numerous offshore casinos that accept players from Minnesota.
• Land-based gambling is allowed, yet only a limited number of games in the 18 casinos controlled by Native American tribes.

Laws Affecting Online Gambling in Minnesota

Gambling in Minnesota is very much affected by Native American tribes, which – according to the Indian Gambling Regulatory Act of 1988 – are entitled to provide a predetermined range of games without paying taxes to the state, and this right cannot be revoked without the agreement from the tribes. In other words, the tribes have long been controlling land-based gambling in Minnesota, and this is unlikely to change in the near future.

As for online gambling, it is unregulated. Not only there are no Minnesota online gambling laws as such, but there are also no references to online gambling in Chapter 449 ‘Lawful Gambling and Gambling Devices’ of Minnesota Statutes 2019, the most recent and the only relevant document on gambling in the state. Let’s reiterate: Neither Chapter 449 nor the Minnesota Gambling Control Board address online gambling, which is why – answering the popular question ‘is online gambling legal in Minnesota’ – we can only assume that players from Minnesota are free to gamble anywhere they want unless the prohibition pops up in the official laws (note that opinions on this matter might differ depending on the interpretation of the existing laws).

Sports Betting in Minnesota

At the time of writing, sports betting in Minnesota is prohibited altogether. However, there’s a chance for the situation to improve in the years to come since the changes have been brewing since 2016 when a bill on the legalization of fantasy sports passed the Minnesota House of Representatives. Unfortunately, the bill stalled in the Senate due to minor disagreements such as the minimum gambling age. But again, there’s a solid chance for the current stalemate to be broken in 2020 or 2021.

Meanwhile, the only viable option is to stick with time-tested offshore sportsbooks, for example, those from our list of best Minnesota online casinos 2021. And of course you should keep abreast of the latest changes in the local legislation since this is a very changeable domain.

Interesting Facts about Online Gambling in Minnesota

The gambling boom in Minnesota happened in the 1980s, when pari-mutuel betting (1983), Native American tribes (1988), and the state lottery (1989) were legalized. The golden decade was followed by almost thirty years of stagnation up until when the bill on the legalization of daily fantasy sports was submitted. If it were to come to fruition, it could pave the way to the first Minnesota online gambling laws and the first officially authorized full-fledged online casinos.

As of now, the only way to indulge in online gambling and sports betting in Minnesota – that is, unless you can be satisfied with social games, which provide no chance to win real money – is to sign up with a trusted offshore sportsbook (the full list of valid sportsbooks and casinos is available at the top of the webpage).

Getting Help for Problem Gambling in Minnesota

The funding of organizations fighting problem gambling in Minnesota is made through the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), which collects contributions from Indian tribes, as well as taxes on the state lottery and charitable gaming. The fact sheet on problem gambling in Minnesota is available by the link.

One of the DHS contracts for solving the gambling problem is the Northstar Problem Gambling Alliance (NPGA), an organization affiliated to the National Council on Problem Gambling. NPGA promotes public awareness of problem gambling and leads the respective programs. NPGA helpline: 800.333.HOPE (4673); Tel: 612.424.8595.

In addition, there are nationwide resources that you can reach for help:

• National Problem Gambling Helpline, 1-800-522-4700, chat: ncpgambling.org/chat.
• Gamblers Anonymous, an experience-sharing fellowship fighting gambling addiction and gambling-related problems.
• Gam-Anon, a self-help organization for compulsive gamblers.
• GamTalk, an online support forum.

The best help is, though, your consciousness when playing at USA online casinos and awareness of the possible unfavorable consequences of excessive gambling.

The pure state of online gambling in Minnesota is partially compensated by 18 brick-and-mortar casinos run by 11 Native American tribes. And even though you might not find your favorite game in the local casinos (approved games include slots, blackjack, bingo, poker, baccarat, and pull tabs), you won’t be deprived of the excitement & thrill you expect to get from your gambling getaway.

If we were to choose the top three casinos among all the contestants, we would stick with Treasure Island Resort & Casino, Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, and Grand Casino Hinckley.

Treasure Island Resort & Casino

The only casino in southern Minnesota located on the Mississippi River, Treasure Island Resort & Casino is owned by the Prairie Indian Community and includes the full range of games allowed in the state – slots, video games (roulette, blackjack, keno), live blackjack, live poker, and bingo. Among the amenities are 500 rooms (including suites), an RV-park, a bowling center, a cruise yacht, several restaurants, and a water park & spa.

When the casino opened in 1984 as a bingo hall, it was called Island Bingo and featured 30,000 square feet of gambling space with 1,400 seats. As it grew, it gradually enlarged its gaming line and updated its premises. The latest renovation took place in 2015 to remodel the Tradewinds Buffet and construct Tado Steakhouse along with Water Park & Spa, the latter opened in 2016.

As of now, the spacious gambling floor features more than 2,200 slots, video keno and poker machines, and smoke-free machines. The excitement awaits you around every corner at Treasure Island Resort & Casino, and it doesn’t matter if you are a lover of one-armed bandits, advanced slots, mind-bending baccarat, or luck-anticipating bingo. Check out the PlayItCasino page and the promo page for the latest offers.

Mystic Lake Casino Hotel

Owned and operated by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC), Mystic Lake Casino Hotel opened in 1992 in Prior Lake to provide all the range of gambling games of the time. In 2012, live horse races were added as a part of the agreement between the SMCS and Canterbury Park in neighboring Shakopee. The latest addition to the gambling complex is Mystic Late Center, which opened in 2018 to provide a spacious 70,000-square-foot meeting and event space.

Mystic Lake Casino Hotel features hundreds of slots, bingo, video roulette terminals, pull tables, and live dealer blackjack. In addition to 766 hotel rooms, one of the largest hotels in the region employs restaurants, bars, sites for live shows & special events, and a countless number of other amenities. From the highest to the lowest stakes, there are as many ways to win as there are ways to have fun at Mystic Lake Casino Hotel. Explore the best offers on the casino promo page
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Grand Casino Hinckley

With the staff of more than 1,400 people, Grand Casino Hinckley is the largest employer in Pine County and the gambling hub you don’t want to miss. As many as 2,144 gaming machines and 28 table games are scattered across the 54,800-square-foot gambling floor powered up with a series of standard amenities (restaurants, bars, live entertainment areas, etc.).

• Slots. From old-school to the newest machines, the casino employs more than two thousand slots of different denominators starting with one penny.
• Poker. Classic or progressive poker, pick the one you find more exciting.
• Blackjack. 18 tables featuring two-deck, four-deck, and six-deck blackjack with a flexible betting range of $10 to $1,000 grant you the first-class experience with your favorite game.
• Bingo. The two bingo halls – Mille Lacs Bingo and Hinckley Bingo – provide you with the generous bingo games, as well as cash and prize drawings.
• Pull tabs. Multi-box or single-box, pick the format you are comfortable with.

Last but not least, don’t forget to take advantage of the ongoing promos.

As you already know, online gambling in Minnesota is unregulated (it depends on how you read the law, though), but that doesn’t mean you have no chance to access your favorite game from within the state. Luckily, there are dozens of international casinos accepting players from the Land of 10,000 Lakes, and locals have never been prosecuted for gambling online.

Below are two excellent casinos, but you can also navigate to the full list of Minnesota casinos at the top of the page to explore the full range of options.

• Spinamba. What is not available offline in Minnesota is dwelling at beautiful Spinamba, a colorful casino that unites all imaginable slots, live games, and table games by more than 50 software providers including Microgaming, NetEnt, PlaynGo, and other renowned market leaders. But what really makes Spinamba special is its never-ending promotions: free spins, match bonuses, tournaments, and more are resting at the promo page of the venue. Last but not least, the casino offers fantasy sports betting, a weighty reason to take a sneak peek at what will soon be legalized in Minnesota.
• 21Dukes. Whether these are perks or mobile games that you are searching for, you will find them at 21Dukes. Established in 1991, 21Dukes is an old-timer that managed to outlive thousands of casinos by outperforming them in every component, from the range of games to bonuses and VIP services. Start playing by taking advantage of a 25 free spin no-deposit bonus, and after you’re done with it, grab more! For example, a 200% first-deposit bonus to double up your initial balance.