The Minnesota Indian Gaming Association (MIGA) has issued a statement in response to today’s ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court declaring unconstitutional the federal ban on sports betting as established by the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA). The statement reads in full as follows:
“This Supreme Court ruling, which effectively makes sports betting policy a matter for states to decide, was not unexpected.
“The current Minnesota legislative session will adjourn on May 21, so we expect that serious consideration of the sports betting issue will be deferred until the 2019 session. Until then, MIGA tribes will take advantage of the interim to study the matter, conduct internal discussions, and work constructively with key legislative leadership to ensure that the tribal perspective is fully considered in the development of Minnesota’s sports gambling policy.
“The Minnesota Indian Gaming Association has long opposed the expansion of gambling. Whenever new forms of gambling are proposed, Indian tribes must carefully consider how these changes could affect the enterprises that serve as our tax base to support our sovereign government operations, the tribal communities where we provide services and the broader communities that are impacted by the jobs that have been created to support our enterprises.”
