North Dakota looking to expand betting outside tribal properties

North Dakota has become the latest – or perhaps one of the latest states – to pursue further expansion of its gambling industry. A new pitch is heard from lawmakers in the state, who are looking to make it possible to gamble outside of tribal casinos.

But the state is a long, long way off from an actual first wager placed on the outcome of events. A House panel was introduced to a pitch by Greg Stemen, a representative, who spoke to the Judiciary Committee members and said that North Dakota should allow voters to decide during the November 2024 general election whether they want to expand gambling and be able on sports events.

This puts the earliest possible estimate for sports gambling launch in the state for 2025, and is indeed a very long time off. The committee seems disinclined, but it will allow the House to take a vote on the matter. If this vote clears, then the proposal will be sent to the Senate.

Stemen insisted that voting for the resolution to be put to a vote will not inherently change the status quo – not immediately at least. It will be down to state residents to cast their vote on the ballot and make the decision, the representative said cited by the Associated Press.

So far, there has been a mixed reception of the pitch. Clearly, there is a strong opposition against gambling, coming from lawmakers, public figures, and not least the tribes who are concerned with preserving the status quo and have exclusive rights over gambling in North Dakota.

According to North Dakota Family Alliance Legislative Action Policy AnalystJacob Thomsen, the expansion of gambling would exacerbate any outstanding gambling problems and lead to higher levels of addiction. The increase in betting tax and revenue would be fairly small in comparison.

Stemen’s proposal is already facing some criticism as it fails to specify how far it intends to take sports gambling. For example, North Dakota University System Chancellor Mark Hagerott has expressed concerns over the reach of the proposed betting expansion.

Hagerott is opposed to sports gambling covering college sports. Other states that have launched legalization attempts in 2023 include Kentucky, which is pitching a comprehensive bill, and Texas, and Hawaii to name a few.

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