(St. Paul- MN) This session, Senator Carrie Ruud (R-Breezy Point) and Representative Dale Lueck (R- Aitkin) have co-introduced bills related to charitable gambling. The legislation would reduce the taxes rates across the board for charitable gambling, impacting activities like pull-tabs, bingo, and paddlewheels among others.

 
Senator Ruud and Representative Lueck issued the following joint statement:

“Adoption of these new charitable gambling provisions is a critical issue in the legislature since they have such a significant impact on our VFW’s, American Legions, businesses, and many other organizations that our district care about. Our bill will lower the tier of tax rates across the board, allowing these groups to keep more of their charitable gambling profits to reinvest back into their communities and businesses.”

It has been reported that charitable gaming will remit over $95 million in gambling taxes and fees to the state in 2019 fiscal year. That is more than double the $40 million of just six years ago. Per the 2018 Gambling Control Board Organization Annual Report, 340 charities, or 30% of the charitable gambling organizations in Minnesota, pay more to the state than they do to support their communities and missions.

In the Senate, the legislation was heard Thursday and laid over for possible inclusion in the tax omnibus bill, but in the House, the companion bill is still awaiting movement in the tax committee.